RAW Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

This time of year, unless you are one of the lucky few to live in a sunny southern state, most of us find ourselves spending way too much time indoors. We rack up the hours on the indoor trainer, we get our miles in on the dreadmill, and if we’re really lucky we get to spend our mornings in the comforting humidity of an indoor pool.

But one upside to this cabin-fever inducing time of the year is being pent up inside can really get the creative juices flowing! Maybe it’s something about the monotony of indoor training, but the itch to try something new and different becomes even greater in the winter months.

One of the ways I scratch this itch is by trying out new recipes, and creating new spins on my tried-and-true favorites. It’s a perfect time to break out the test kitchen and find some new easy go-to snacks and meals for the rest of the season, when training and racing really ramp up, and free time becomes a little less available.

In the hot and humid months, my post-training protein fix comes in the form of a cold bottle of REPAIR or a scoop of RAW mixed in juice. But this time of year, I just don’t crave anything cold. What I really want is something sweet and salty — that preferably pairs well with coffee!

It also just so happens that this last week of January holds both National Peanut Butter Day (which should be a recognized national holiday in my humble opinion) AND National Granola Day. So what better way to celebrate than to mix up some RAW Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars?

The granola bar, once synonymous with healthy and natural eating, has unfortunately gotten a bad rep in recent years. The mass produced versions that line the grocery store shelves are often stripped away most of the nutrition because they are made with processed and refined ingredients.

So instead I like to make my own! These sweet treats pack a serious nutritional punch — loaded with healthy fats, whole grains, and protein. Plus, making them at home allows me to know exactly what is going in them.

These make for an amazing breakfast or post-workout recovery snack. Just cut them up into bars or bite sized squares and freeze them in single serving bags. Then just grab one out of the freezer in the morning and throw it in your bag. By the time you finish up your morning workout they will be thawed and ready to eat!

RAW Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (No-Bake)

Prep time: 5 minutes (+ freeze time)

Yield: 10 bars

Ingredients

  ∞  1 1/2 cups quick or rolled oats

  ∞  1/2 tsp salt

  ∞  1/2 cup peanut butter (or Sunbutter for nut-free)

  ∞  1/2 cup honey

  ∞  2/3 cup (2 scoops) RAW pure protein recovery

  ∞  1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Stir all ingredients together until well-mixed. Transfer the mixture to a 8×8 or 9x9 pan lined with parchment or wax paper.

Place another sheet of parchment or wax over the top and continue to smush down and spread until it fills the bottom of the pan.

Place in the freezer. Freeze until hard, then cut into bars or bite-sized squares!

For optimum freshness, store leftover bars in the freezer for up to a month.