Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well

These chocolatey, oaty bars make a great afternoon treat. They’re packed full of fiber (from the oats), protein and heart-healthy fats (from the nuts and nut butter) and antioxidants from the dark chocolate.

Yes, you must think about them in advance since they require several hours to set, but they’re a cinch to make and don’t require baking. They’re sweeter made with dates, but raisins make the preparation that much easier. Try it both ways!

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter

1/4-1/3 cup honey (depending on how dark your chocolate is)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted, or 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped

6 oz bittersweet chocolate (use at least 65% dark cocoa), roughly chopped

3/4 raisins (or pitted, chopped dates, since I know many people hate raisins)

1/4 tsp coarse-ground salt

Preparation

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper leaving a little overhang (enough to grab onto).

Melt the almond butter, honey and butter (or coconut oil) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and add in the chocolate pieces, stirring until the chocolate has melted completely. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly using the back of a large spoon.

Refrigerate until the bars harden, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Gently tug and lift the edges of the parchment paper to remove the block of chilled “dough” from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Enjoy!