These healthy no bake peanut butter chocolate oat bars are super simple to prepare and make for the perfect balanced snack or dessert! These delicious bars are made with a few whole ingredients like dates, oats and peanut butter.
All you have to do is combine all ingredients, top with melted chocolate and wait for bars to set in the fridge.They are extremely tasty & satisfying! Both peanut butter and oats have a satiety effect, hence when coupled with the other ingredients in the bar, they help you feel full, control appetite and manage blood sugars! These chewy bars are quite dense, so you don't actually need a lot to feel satisfied and full.
These chewy bars have become a favourite go-to snack in our household. Other than being super delicious and nutritious, I love that they are super portable, so make for a perfect snack to have with you when you are on the go!
No bake peanut butter chocolate oat bars stay good in the fridge for about a week. Also, you can easily freeze these bars after they have been set and sliced, by putting them in an air-tight freezer bag or container for up-to 2 months. I recommend individually wrapping them in the freezer to prevent them from sticking together.
Peanut Butter: Interesting Facts & Health Benefits
Did you know that research suggests that those who regularly consume nut-butters tend to manage their weight better than those who avoid nuts and nut butters?
Many people often have fear around adding nuts and nut butters to their diet due to the high fat and high calorie content. Although, it's true that nuts and nut butters are in high fat and energy dense, they have a satiety-inducing effect. They slow down food digestion and keep you full longer, hence serve as natural appetite suppressants!
Another interesting fact about nuts is that research shows that some of the calories from nuts is actually excreted. Studies have shown that some of the fat, carbohydrates and protein goes through us undigested, hence not all the calories are absorbed. This is why calorie counting is problematic! This is particularly true as it relates to nuts and seeds as we absorb fewer calories from them than calculated. These findings may be another explanation why nut eaters tend to have an easier time managing weight.
Nutrition-wise, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter provides around 190 calories, 7 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 16 grams of heart-healthy fats. Peanut butter is a good source of Vitamin E and Niacin (B3). In terms of minerals, peanut butter is rich in both selenium and magnesium.
Recipe
Makes 15 Bars
Ingredients
1 cup of creamy natural peanut butter
1 cup of pitted medjool dates
1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tbsp of honey or maple syrup
4 oz dark chocolate
1/2 tsp of coconut oil (optional)
Crushed peanut for topping
Directions:
First soak medjool dates in warm water for 10 minutes to soften
Place oats, peanut butter, dates, vanilla extract and honey in the food processor and process. Scrap corners a few times in between. Final mixture should form a sticky dough
Add 1/2 tsp of coconut oil to a pan and add dark chocolate to melt until smooth. You can skip the coconut oil if your chocolate melts well and smooth.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the dough. Press down to make an even layer
Pour melted chocolate on top and even out with a spatula to cover dough
Sprinkle with crushed peanuts
Place in fridge for 1 hour to set
Take out of fridge and slice into 15 bars