Sooo yeah we’re going with the chocolate + peanut butter combo classic of all classics to kick off this fabulous weekend.
This month the Recipe Redux challenged us to come up with our favorite “kitchen essential” recipe.
Think everyday food items gone DIY…and lets be real, as a food blogger there are more than one “essential recipes” I adore making as the weeks come and go.
Having yummy and healthy snack foods on hand is basically part of my M.O. Seriously, ask anyone!
Road trip planned? I’ll handle the granola bars, trail mix and fruit pairings.
Wine tasting? You know I’ll bring the creamy goat cheese dip, crispy prosciutto and crackers. Finals week? I got your back with crunchy granola clusters, homemade cereal squares and protein bars.
Not only is it fun for me to whip up DIY snacks but it’s also convenient, saves money and is healthfully satisfying. Not sure if “healthfully” is even a word but lets roll with it.
While there are some brands of granola/snack bars out there that I can gladly get behind and truly appreciate when in a pinch, (enter–>Kind Bars…total life savors) this girl can only afford to fork up $1.50 per bar so many times.
Making homemade versions of snack bars for the hectic weekdays and work-filled weekends can truly be a blessing. Sometimes it feels like little peanut butter cookie dough oat bars will solve all my life problems. Ya feel me?
On that note we’re going to get a little dramatic now because peanut butter + chocolate chunks + cookie dough are all capable of extreme foodie exaggeration. These bonkers awesome flavors combined with hearty oats, flaxseed and oat bran is the best kitchen essential gift I can give you.
Joey devoured these last weekend and the capacity of how much food that man can consume always amazes me. Regardless, they are totally worth devouring. And the chocolate chunks make them total dessert worthy. Gone healthy. DO IT!
No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Bars
2015-05-20 21:57:52
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp greek yogurt (optional)
- 1/2 cup oat bran*
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)
- Dash of sea salt
- Handful of dark chocolate chunks
- Optional add ins: peanut butter chips, chopped peanuts, melted chocolate to drizzle on top
- Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon or frosting spatula until completley combined. It will resemble a cookie dough and be slightly sticky, but still firm.
- Press the dough into an 8×8 parchment lined baking tray. Make sure you line it with parchment paper first! Press down the dough with the back of your spatula until evenly distributed. If you want you can drizzle melted chocolate over the bars before placing in the fridge. Allow the dough to cool up in the fridge for atleast 30 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Bars stay fresh in the refrigerator, covered or uncovered.
- Makes 12-16 bars.
- *May sub oat flour
By Selena Sharpless
The Nutritious Kitchen http://thenutritiouskitchen.com/