Oat, Chia, Fruit and Nut Butter Bars

Oh my yummy! These bars are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast, awesome for a mid-day snack or great for a pre-workout, mini-meal! Feel free to get creative and add your own favorite nuts and dried fruit. The possibilities are endless! 

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

 Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

 Servings: 15-20 bars

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seeds (ground)
• 1 cup nut butter (I used all natural peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup all natural maple syrup (optional)
• 1 Tbsp honey (optional)
• 2 Tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried fruit, no added sugar (I used blueberries and strawberries)
• 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts and pumpkin seeds)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat. Pour oats, quinoa, flax seeds, and chia seeds into the pan to toast (about 3 or 4 minutes). 

2. Pour the crushed nuts and fruit into a large mixing bowl. Add the toasted oats mixture to the nuts and fruit.

3. Next, heat a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Add the oil, nut butter, honey, and maple syrup. Cook until it is one, homologous mixture. It should look smooth and runny. Pour this mixture into the dry mixture of oats and nuts. Mix until everything is coated

4. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper. Press the mixture down very well and make sure it is spread out evenly over the pan. 

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly toasted. Let it cool, place in the fridge, and then slice into bars once it has cooled. Be careful not to over-bake! If you do, it's still tasty, but you will end up with crunchy granola instead of bars!

This one's a goodie. Enjoy!