Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chunk Granola Bars
Makes 14 Healthy Granola Bars
I think we can be in agreement that we all need a little pick me up at the moment. The world’s news is just too depressing for words and there seems to be no sign of respite any time soon. So given that we need to look for the little joys in life to cheer us up, I’ve decided to post the most delicious sweet treat that makes the ultimate afternoon snack. They make a perfect afterschool energy boost that satisfies my kids’ craving for all things sweet, whilst simultaneously satisfying my desire to give them something wholesome that compensates for the fact they eat absolutely no protein at school every day. One bar contains 10g of protein thanks to the nutritious oats, nut butter, seeds and a touch of protein powder. But make no mistake; whilst these homemade granola bars are most definitely kid-friendly, they are by no means just for the little ones! I have been enjoying one most afternoons with a cappuccino around 4pm and have been thoroughly cheered up by my new mini-ritual.
After years of practicing, I finally feel like I have absolutely nailed my go-to granola recipe (check out my Banana Nut Crunch post for the recipe), but I wanted to make the granola more portable and snack-able. So these chewy, on-the-go, protein-packed, gluten-free, vegan and irresistibly tasty granola bars were born! I also wanted to make them quick and easy to make, with no baking required; because let’s face it, anything less hassle-y and fiddly makes them a double win in my eyes! They will most definitely be making a permanent appearance on my roster of snacks from now on, as they were an all-out hit with the whole family.
One bar provides 259 calories, 10g of plant-based protein and 3g of fibre. Not to mention almost 20% of my daily calcium requirements despite being dairy-free.
Homemade Granola Bar INGREDIENTS
· 200g Peanut Butter (or nut butter of your choice)
· 110g Maple Syrup
· 25g Coconut Oil
· 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
· ½ tsp Salt
· 150g Wholegrain Jumbo Oats
· 75g Flaked Almonds
· 60g Mixed Seeds (I used 30g Pumpkin Seeds, 20g Hemp Seeds and 20g Chia Seeds)
· 45g Chopped Dried Fruit (I used Dried Cherries)
· 45g Dark Chocolate Chips
· Optional but recommended: 20g Unsweetened Unflavoured Protein Powder (I used Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides)
Easy, no bake METHOD
· Line a 20-22cm square baking pan with parchment paper.
· In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts, seeds, protein powder and dried berries (but leave out the chocolate chips unless you want them to melt into the mixture). Combine them all together well and set aside.
· In a medium non-stick saucepan, add the peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil.
· Heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
· Once the mixture reaches a simmer, stir well so that all of the ingredients are fully combined.
· Remove from the heat.
· Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract, and stir well.
· Carefully pour this mixture into the mixing bowl with the oats, nuts and seeds.
· Mix well until completely combined.
· If you don’t want the chocolate chips to melt, then leave the mixture to cool slightly before adding them in.
· Once the chocolate chips have been added, transfer the mixture onto the parchment-lined tin and press down firmly. If the mixture is cool enough, I like to use my knuckles to help press the mixture down so that it’s packed in tight and flat (this helps stop it from crumbling and falling apart when you cut it into bars).
· Refrigerate for a few hours, until they have hardened enough to be cut into bars.
· TIP: Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan, then use a large sharp knife to cut them into 14 bars. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week or else in the freezer for 3 months.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories – 259
Protein – 10g
Fat – 16g
Carbohydrates – 19g
Fibre – 3g
Calcium – 17%
Sugar – 9g