Chocolate Almond Power Bars

Hey guys!  Y'all know that I love power bars, so I've decided to bring you today a variation of my cinnamon apricot power bars that will be the perfect, healthy addition to your Easter brunch, especially since they can be mad ahead of time.

Sometimes, we crave healthy, chocolaty, filling treats.  This recipe today meets these criteria perfectly.  It's packed with nuts, seeds, and whole grains that will satisfy your nagging sweet tooth and grumbling stomach.

You may be wondering how I switched up the recipe.  It was actually pretty simple and also somewhat because I was in a pinch.  I didn't see any applesauce so I swapped in an equal amount of mashed banana.  There weren't any grape nuts around so I threw some oat flakes into a food processor and ground them up, tossing them into the mix.  We were out of walnuts so I added almonds.  I wanted some chocolate so I threw into the mix some dark chocolate chips.  As you can tell, this recipe is highly adaptable and the flavor combos are endless and totally up to you.

Here's the link to the recipe that I adapted these bars from.  This link is also included in my Cinnamon Apricot Power bar post

In addition to being a healthy dessert, these bars also make a nourishing breakfast or snack- mid-morning or midnight-  I won't judge 😉...

Chocolate Almond Power Bars

·       2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

·       1 cup whole wheat flour

·       1 cup crushed oat flake cereal (e.g. Annie’s)

·       ½ tsp. cinnamon

·       2 beaten eggs

·       ½ cup (about 1 small) ripe banana, mashed

·       ½ cup honey

·       3 Tbs. brown sugar

·       ¼ cup vegetable oil

·       ½ cup raw sunflower seeds

·       1 ½ cups raw almonds, chopped

·       1 cup dark chocolate chips

1.      Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.      Line a 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.

3.      In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cereal, and cinnamon.

4.      Add the eggs, banana, honey, brown sugar, and oil, mixing well.

5.      Stir in the sunflower seeds, almonds, and chocolate chips.

6.      Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

7.      Bake 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly brown on the edges.

8.      Let cool.

9.      Use the foil to lift from the pan.

10.   Cut into bars or squares and store in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month.