Now that I’m back at work — even if it was only one day — I’ve been focused on meal prep to make the week easier. For lunches I made soup (recipe coming soon) and a chicken-and-veggie quinoa casserole, and I prepared a pot roast for the slow cooker on my first day back. There’s little better than walking in after a long day and finding a hot meal waiting in the slow cooker. A fresh pan of brownies and a glass of wine would be the cherry on top, of course.
Snacks were also essential for the workday. Last week I brought Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars, and this week my go-to is a new favorite: No Bake Peanut Butter Chia Granola Bars. They’re similar in spirit to my No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars but with chia seeds for added texture and binding.
These bars are now a staple for quick snacks. They come together in minutes, require no baking, and keep well when chilled. I shaped them into bars, but you can easily roll the mixture into energy bites if you prefer. The combination of coconut oil and chia seeds helps everything bind firmly so the bars cut cleanly after chilling — no crumbly mess.
I made mine in a 9×9″ pan for thick, dense bars; if you like thinner bars, use a 9×13″ pan. Because they’re packed with oats, peanut butter, and seeds, they’re very filling and hold me over from snack time until dinner.
No Bake Peanut Butter Chia Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup ground or whole flaxseed
- ⅓ cup chia seeds
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ⅔ cup honey
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, measured melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, shredded coconut, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the peanut-butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Prepare a pan: spray a 9×9″ pan for thicker bars or a 9×13″ pan for thinner bars with cooking spray.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the pan and press firmly to compact. Spraying your hands with cooking spray helps prevent sticking while pressing.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours to firm up, then cut into bars.
- Enjoy.
Notes
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They hold together best when chilled, though they can be kept at room temperature for short periods.
- Optional: stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips for a sweeter treat.