Peanutty Chocolate Energy Bars
These Peanutty Chocolate Energy Bars sound decadent, but they’re super healthy. These snacks are packed with fiber, antioxidants and energy. They’re guaranteed to carry you through an intense workout or speed your recovery afterwards.
My youngest daughter is a very serious ballerina. Although she’s in 8th grade, Chloé dances for at least 16 hours a week. During the holidays she can dance for as many as 24 hours a week. Her workouts are intense. So, she needs healthy, portable snacks to keep her going.
Personally, I struggle with the snack issue. Biltong and fruit have carried us this far. However, as a normal 13 year old, Chloé often craves something that feels more decadent.
Since we all know refined sugar is unhealthy and leads to energy spikes and plateaus, sugary, high-carb treats are out. Usher in homemade energy bars…
Frankly, I always thought homemade energy bars were for fitness or nutrition fanatics. However, after doing a bit of research on the topic, I’m pleased to say that energy bars have come a long way since I was a little girl in the 1970s.
The energy bars I remember from my childhood were dense, hard as concrete, and bland. Nowadays, there are many more interesting options available — both commercially and homemade.
Having worked up this recipe, I am convinced I will be making my own energy bars on a more regular basis — and so should you. After all, who can resist a healthy treat that comes together in mere minutes? Plus, preparing your own bars gives you absolute control over their taste and nutritional content.
Through experimentation, I have found that no-bake bars (such as these) benefit from refrigeration (and even freezing) because they tend to get crumbly when they’re warm. However, they’re packed with nut butters which are great for endurance and help you stay full longer.
Variations
I used peanut butter because my daughter loves peanut butter cups. However, if you don’t like peanut butter or have an allergy, you could easily use almond butter instead. I am sure that would be equally tasty. As you gain experience making your own bars, you could also experiment with other ingredients, such as:
- quinoa
- dried fruit
- goji berries
- flaked almonds
- flaked coconut
The options are really limited only by your own imagination. Bon appétit!
Peanutty Chocolate Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (not the sweetened, processed variety)
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate drops
Instructions
- Line a 29 cm square cake pan with baking paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides.
- Place the peanut butter and honey in a medium glass bowl. Stir to combine.
- Warm the peanut butter and honey in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, just long enough to melt it a bit so you can work in the other ingredients.
- Stir in the oats and the cacao powder, until thoroughly combined.
- Knead in the chia seeds and dark chocolate drops.
- Press the mixture into the cake tin firmly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before cutting.
- Cut into bars and wrap individually in baking paper.
Notes
Keep these bars in the fridge (or the freezer) as they tend to get crumbly when warm.