Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

You can never have enough snack recipes or ideas! My clients are always asking for help in the snack department so I decided to whip these up as inspiration. While they are definitely a healthier option than most store bought granola bars, they are still more useful as an alternative to sweets and are perfect in moderation as a sweet snack :) They are easy to make and taste delicious! While they are soft, they are hearty and can still be a tad bit crumbly. I try not to be too obsessive about all of the ingredients in store bought items because let's face it, not everything is perfect and I just don't have the time to research every little ingredient and worry about it. There are still certain things I try to limit (but I don't obsess over it if I can't find something without it) - like anything with soy and natural flavors. Of course there are a ton of other things I could name BUT unfortunately these 2 things seems to show up in a lot of the "healthy" foods/drinks I see in the grocery stores. So if I can't seem to find the things I want, I make them myself (or I just buy them in moderation). Depending on the type of oats and chocolate chips you use (like the ones I mention below), these bars are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. I hope you enjoy these little sweet snacks!

Servings: 12
Prep/Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup peanut butter (I used this one from Costco)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cups quick oats (I used gluten-free sprouted quick oats from Sprouts, but you can use any kind)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used these from Target)

Directions:

1. Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a pan over medium heat, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil until it starts to simmer.
3. Remove from heat and add in the oats, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well blended.
4. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes to cool (so it doesn't melt the chocolate chips).
5. Remove from the fridge and mix in the chocolate chips. 
6. Dump mixture into prepared pan and press down using the back of a spoon until level.
7. Place in fridge for at least an hour before removing and cutting into 12 bars.
8. I like to store these in the fridge in a large container or little baggies for 3-4 days. If I want them to last longer I will put them in the freezer in individual baggies and remove about 30 minutes or so prior to eating.

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