Granola bars are one of the easiest snacks to have on the go but with all that added sugar they don’t exactly fall into the health food category.  Even the ones that cost almost $8 a box!

With Aaron’s long shifts sometimes I struggle to find enough variety of foods to have in for his lunches that he can eat on the fly (they work them to the bone!).  I bake lots of goodies for him to take but there have been too many cookies making their way into his lunch box which is why I passed by the bars loaded with sugar and headed home to my pantry where I knew I could find something healthier to throw in the mix.

So after weeding through my endless supply of nuts and seeds I’ve come up with Chocolate Peanut Butter “Superfood” Granola Bars.  Aaron was relieved to find they don’t have raisins in them and Mairead announced that they taste like my homemade peanut butter cups!  If you haven’t tried them, click here.  What’s also great is these granola bars allow a little indulgence all the while refueling your body without resorting to that mid afternoon cup of coffee.

The possibilities are endless with the kinds of bars you can make and for a fraction of the cost.  This recipe, like many granola bars, is versatile so if you have allergies you can pretty much substitute one ingredient for another or if you have a preference for other nuts, seeds or dried fruit, throw them on in there!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter “Superfood” Granola Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup quinoa, uncooked
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

On a baking sheet spread oats, quinoa and sunflower seeds evenly and toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes.  Once toasted, transfer to a mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan set to low heat, add peanut butter, honey and vanilla.  Stir until smooth and creamy.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.*

Once cool enough, add the peanut butter mixture to the oat mixture and mix well.  Mix in ground flax and chia seeds.  Finally, fold in the chocolate.

Transfer to the loaf pan and press firmly into the pan.  Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Once set, remove from the pan and cut into bars.  Enjoy!

*I wanted my chocolate melted in my granola bars  rather than chunks and began mixing ingredients while the peanut butter combo was still warm.  If you prefer an actual chocolate chip in your granola bars, allow the PB mixture to cool completely before adding it to your other ingredients.

By Three Happy Folk