No-Bake Homemade Energy Oat Bars

Homemade bars at a fraction of the price!

A few months ago, I had posted in my group a recipe from Door to Door Organics for these "no-bake energy bites". They looked easy enough and had minimal ingredients, all of which I had handy. I thought to myself, "I can make this in even less time by pressing them into a small pan, throwing them into the freezer to set and then cutting them into bars". It worked and I saved myself the time of rolling little balls. These are super easy to make and a really great alternative to pre-packaged granola or energy bars. We're always trying to save some calories and dollars are just as important. It's all about budgeting efficiently! Here is my tweaked version.

You will need:
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 C natural peanut butter
1/4 C honey
1/4 C ground flaxseed
3/4 C oats
4 Tbsp chocolate chips

Mix peanut butter, honey, ground flaxseed & oats in a bowl and set aside. Mixture will be very sticky and thick. In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips. I typically microwave them for 1 minute at 30% power. It's better to have to put them back in the microwave, than to overheat. While they are melting, press mixture into a coated 6 x 6" square pan. My favorite one is made by Wilton and it is the smaller pan pictured here. If you live near Ocean County, NJ, Shore Restaurant Party Supply has great pans that I adore. I only have the round ones from there, however, they have square as well (at least the last time I was there they did). By now your chocolate should be melted. Using a spatula, pour it over the pressed oat mixture & spread it over the top. Before it is dry, sprinkle 1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Set in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer, wait a minute or 2 and cut into 9 bars. Keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Each bar contains:
Calories: 77
Fat: 4.49g
Carbs: 8.28g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4g
Sugar: 4.6g
Protein: 2.6g