Recipe: No Bake Oat Nut Bars

Having two sons means I always need to have a stocked snack bin in the pantry and the refrigerator. It seems they are bottomless pits and they’re only preschoolers! I always have a combination of store-bought convenient snacks, cut vegetables, fruit and cheese sticks on hand. I also like to make homemade snacks such as date nut balls or homemade granola bars. These No Bake Oat Nut Bars are one of their favorites.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup chopped nuts

For the chocolate drizzle:

• 1/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Combine peanut butter, coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan.
2. Melt over medium-low heat and stir frequently, until mixture is melted and smooth. This should just take a few minutes.
3. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla, mixing to combine.
4. In a large bowl, combine oats, flaxseed meal, chia seeds and peanut butter mixture, stirring well to combine.
5. Fold in chopped nuts.
6. Press mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8x8-inch baking pan.
7. In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil.
8. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each time, until melted.
9. Drizzle chocolate over bars.
10. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, to allow bars to cool and chocolate to set.

Taylor Ellingson is a local cookbook author and food blogger at greensnchocolate.com.