Recipes

This recipe is a complete makeover of the infamous and scrumptious, chocolatey peanut butter and oat no-bake cookies.  Wonderful for a snack, great as a real-food energy bar replacement, and loaded with fiber and protein.  They also make a perfect treat for kids because they taste delicious while providing some sneaky nutritional perks. 

Learning Objectives

Learn how to make a no-bake, quick and easy homemade energy/snack bar loaded with all the elements of a treat (yummy chocolate and peanut butter) but with the added benefits of fiber, protein and antioxidants.

Level Ups (optional)

Add dried fruit such as chopped dates or cherries.

Substitutions (optional)

Substitute another nut butter, like almond butter, for the peanut butter. You can also just use ½ cup honey or agave nectar instead of ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup pure maple syrup.

Equipment Needed

Mixing bowl Measuring cups 8-9 inch square baking dish Parchment paper Spatula

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups whole-grain rolled oats
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup unsweetened puffed quinoa or puffed rice
• ¾ cup chopped nuts or seeds of choice
• ¼ cup flaxseed
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
• 3 ½ – 4 oz dark chocolate (one bar)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Prepare a 8-9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, cooked quinoa, puffed quinoa or rice, nuts or seeds and flaxseeds.
3. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add the peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, and plant-based milk. Bring to a light simmer, while stirring consistently. Do not overcook or boil or the peanut butter will burn.
4. Turn off the heat and stir the chocolate in until melted and incorporated. Then stir the vanilla extract in.
5. Immediately transfer the mixture from the stove, while still hot, to the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir until well combined and then scoop into the baking dish. Press until even with a spatula and let cool in the fridge for a minimum of 2-hours before cutting.