Try saying that 3 times fast!
These bars are packed with antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy omega-3 fats. They are most comparable to a KIND bar with their crunchy nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate chunks and the perfect dose of sweetness. I’m KIND of obsessing over them. And KIND of ecstatic to share the super simple recipe with you on this glorious Friday. Thank you KINDly for stopping by. Lol ok, enough.
You may notice I’ve been super into homemade protein and granola bars lately. You may also have noticed that 90% of them contain dark chocolate or cacao nibs. It’s an addiction.
But heck, if you’re throwing a little dark chocolate in an already nutrient-dense bar, what is the harm there? I’m also a firm believer in that a weeeee bit of chocolate a day helps keep the psychiatrist away.
It’s also a LOT more affordable to make your own healthy snack bars at home. Starbucks charged me almost $3.00 for a similar bar the other morning and I almost started laughing in disbelief. My coffee didn’t even cost that much! Blasphemy. 
One of the best things about these bars is that you literally just toss all the ingredients in one bowl and mix it up! No food processor, blender or 14 separate bowls to get the job done.
They are also freezer-friendly (whoop!) so if you only plan on using half the batch over the course of a week or so, you can save the remaining bars for a later time. I usually will wrap up each bar individually to take to work for a mid-morning snack. It provides the perfect amount of fuel to me get my through my morning work load while staying satiated and energized. Coffee helps, too. 
They’re also very customizable! You could swap the cherries for craisins, dried blueberries, golden raisins, etc. If you’re not a fan of almonds, cashews will also do the job! You could also leave out the dark chocolate (gasp) or the chia seeds if you don’t have any on hand.
They’re great for breakfast on-the-go, a quick snack or even dessert to satisfy the ol’ sweet tooth. I highly recommend giving these a try! Have a fabulous weekend, friends!
- 1 cup of roasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup dried cherries (I found mine at Trader Joe's)
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup almond meal
- 1.5 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 86% dark)
- 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
- Pinch of sea salt (~1/4 tsp)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients and mix throughly to combine.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking pan, spread evenly, and push down with your hands to thoroughly compact ingredients.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Place in refrigerator for 45 mins-1 hour to set. Slice into 8 bars. Serve!
To make vegan: sub honey for brown rice syrup. Sub dark chocolate for cacao nibs.
To assure these bars are gluten-free (if necessary), use certified gluten-free oats (Bob's Red Mill)
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