Working from home, or working from the kitchen? Do you find yourself visiting your fridge and pantry a little too much lately? Are you looking for something to snack on while you’re starring at the news, even if you’re not hungry? With the current events of this pandemic, many of us are turning to food to keep us well and comforted. During stressful and uncertain times, our eating patterns change. To help you manage your hunger and emotions, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite no-bake energy snack bar that you can have within an arm’s reach.

I’m a fan of homemade protein and energy bars, especially when 3 o’clock in the afternoon hits: it’s my hunger hour. I need something healthy, quick, delicious, inexpensive and made with high quality ingredients that I can pronounce! Also, I have to make sure that I can safely share them with my children because they too can get hangry. A good snack bar offers you the advantages of a quick grab and go, as well as the nutrition that you need in between meals or post workout. But remember, a protein or energy bar is NOT a meal replacement!

I’ve tried many bars on the market and let’s be honest, some of them left me questioning… Although the packaging seemed convincing, I’m always a sucker for reading the nutritional value of my pantry items before purchase. When I see that some of these so called “healthy-organic-energy-packed with protein” bars contain more carbs and fillers than a candy bar, I’m left with disappointment and an empty stomach.

Creating my own homemade bars has its own challenges. Some recipes left a confusing taste in my mouth; others would just crumble into my hands and I had to eat my bar with a spoon… We all have our own struggles, right? I’ve spent years trying different recipes, and a few months ago, I finally developed one that my family & I can’t stop drooling over. I’m excited to share this one with all of you!

• Preparation: 15 minutes
• Refrigeration time: 1 hour
• Portions: 8 to 10 Bars

Ingredients:

Energy Snack Bar:

• 1 cup of Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (or half & half)
• 2 tablespoon of Organic Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon of Honey
• 2 scoops of your favourite Protein Powder (vanilla, peanut butter or chocolate are great flavours for this recipe) *I use Osmo Pharma Isolean Peanut Butter Cookie from @ Hyerperforme Nutrition. And yes, they deliver!
• 2 cups of Rolled Quick Oats
• 1 tablespoon of shredded non-sweet Coconut Flakes
• 2 teaspoon of Chia Seeds
• ½ teaspoon of ground Cinnamon

Top Layer

• One handful of Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips
• ½ to 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil
• Sea Salt for sprinkle (optional)

Easy To Follow Step By Step

1. In a small pot over the stove top, melt the peanut butter and the coconut oil.

2. Stir until everything is well melted and silky smooth. Remove from heat.

3. Add the honey and stir.

4 Add the protein powder and whisk until the mixture is well blended and there are no lumps.

5. Add in the oats, chia seeds, coconut flakes and ground cinnamon. Mix everything together.

6. Place parchment paper at the bottom of a loaf pan. Pour the mixture in the pan and press down firmly and evenly. Set aside.

7. Now, prepare the top layer. In the same pot, melt the coconut oil and the chocolate chips on medium heat.

8. Once melted, pour the chocolate mixture over the snack bar and spread gently.

9. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the chocolate solidifies.

10. Remove snack bar from the pan and sprinkle it with some sea salt.

11. Cut into small bars. Place the cut up bars into an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator. The bars will stay fresh for a few days (if they last that long).

12. Enjoy!