ENERGY BARS | easy, healthy 5-ingredient recipe

peanut butter

🥗Healthier: almond butter

💰Cheaper: sunflower seed butter

Almond butter is lower in saturated fat, and sunflower seed butter is often less expensive.

honey

🥗Healthier: agave syrup

💰Cheaper: corn syrup

Agave syrup has a lower glycemic index, while corn syrup is usually cheaper.

chocolate chips

🥗Healthier: dark chocolate

💰Cheaper: cocoa powder

Dark chocolate has less sugar, and cocoa powder can be more affordable.

nuts

🥗Healthier: seeds

💰Cheaper: pumpkin seeds

Seeds are often lower in calories and can be less expensive.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a quarter sheet pan with a thin layer of coconut oil, butter, or cooking spray.

Peel and mash the 3 super ripe bananas in a large bowl using the back of a fork until broken down.

Add 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats to the mashed bananas.

Incorporate 1 cup of all-natural peanut butter (preferably at room temperature) into the mixture.

Stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Optionally, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, then stir everything together until well combined.

Transfer the thick batter onto the greased baking sheet and flatten it out evenly to the corners.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the kitchen is fragrant, the top is lightly brown, and the bars are set through.

Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing them in half lengthwise and then into 7 slices across, resulting in 16 bars total.

Store the bars in an airtight container with wax paper or parchment paper in between each one to prevent sticking, keeping them in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for months.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens