Guest post: Peanut Butter Energy Bars

Hello from across the pond! Let me introduce my self: Hi! I’m Laura. I’m a born and bred Californian, currently living in San Francisco. I’m a totally kitchen-obsessed geek with a knack for cracking out a few recipes when my mind thinks of them. When Jess so nicely asked if I’d be willing to write up a few simple recipes for this incredible community, I couldn’t turn the offer down to combine our loves of culinary curiosity & nutrition. So here goes…

Most days begin with the right intentions – wake up, pour a cup of coffee, head out the door to the gym, grab something to eat, and finally get to work before the boss shows up. Then the dreaded afternoon lull rolls around and if you’re anything like me, that’s when the planning of my post-work activities begin. Usually this includes trying to wrack my brain for what is possibly left in the refrigerator and thinking what I might need to grab at the market before heading home. The afternoon itch is made increasingly frustrating by the slight grumbling of my stomach, aching for the meal that was just created in my mind. In order to keep from testing my patience with coworkers or lagging behind in my workload due to my lack of energy, a quick snack is my go-to for an afternoon pick-me-up.

I’m sure most of you have seen the beautiful arrays of meal prepping some bloggers get up to in their ample amount of free time on Sundays; however, it never seems to plan out how I imagined. So, in an effort to keep things relatively simple and still fuel my body during the afternoon grind of the work week, I stick to making a simple batch of energy bars that take almost no time at all, last ages in the fridge, and allow my ‘hangry’ moment to be put off just a tad longer.

While my American roots love a good peanut butter & jelly sandwich to solve all of my issues (let’s be honest, peanut butter is a hero ingredient), bringing a sandwich to the workplace as an afternoon snack, really is not feasible. To appease my nostalgic indulgences, I resort to a quickly unwrapped peanut butter energy bar paired with a piece of fresh fruit to keep my day in balance.

With a mixture of steel-cut oats, chia seeds, toasted almonds, and brown rice puffs – these Peanut Butter Energy Bars are bound to keep your stomach happy and your brain ‘hangry’-free until the end of the workday. For those of you that don’t like to make a mess in the kitchen, have no fear – this recipe can be made in one bowl and only requires a microwave.

Have a go at making these lovely bars of deliciousness & enjoy the burst of energy it brings into your day.

Peanut Butter Energy Bars

Yield: 10 bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups / 200 grams steel-cut oats

1 cup / 100 grams brown rice puffs

½ cup / 50 grams slivered almonds

3-tablespoons / 30 grams chia seeds

1-teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup smooth peanut butter (**I have no idea what you’d convert this measurement too!)

½ cup maple syrup

pinch of flakey sea salt

Directions:

1. Add peanut butter and maple syrup to a medium sized, microwave-safe bowl. Stir in flakey sea salt. Microwave on twenty-second intervals until bubbly and smooth, approximately two minutes.

2. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the remaining ingredients: steel-cut oats, brown rice puffs, slivered almonds, chia seeds, and cinnamon.

3. Continue mixing until the ingredients come together into one and begin sticking to each other, leaving little residue at the bottom of the bowl.

4. Line an 8×8-inch (approximately 20×20-cm) baking dish with cling film. Add the mixture and press it down firmly, flattening the top and ensuring to press into the corners. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Loosen the mixture from its mould and place on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into ten bars and individually wrap for storage. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy for up to 3 weeks.