Chia Energy Bars

Recipe by Gwen Adams

Don't let the name scare you, these whole-grain bars taste like a treat! Crunchy, chewy, and flavorful, they're a satisfying way to energize your day. There are many variations and ways to tailor these bars to your family's specific tastes. Almond butter with sliced almonds and cranberries; peanut butter with chocolate chips and peanuts; or our favorite, unsalted peanut butter with cranberries, dried apples, and pecans.

Prep
17 mins
Bake
23 to 25 mins
Total
40 mins
Yield
9 bars
Chia Energy Bars - select to zoom
Chia Energy Bars - select to zoom
Chia Energy Bars - select to zoom
Chia Energy Bars - select to zoom

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8" x 8" pan, or line it with parchment.

  2. Toss together the oats, quinoa, flaxseed meal, chia seeds, dried fruit, and egg white in a medium-mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.

  3. Warm the honey, nut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until well blended. Don't let it boil, just let it get warm and fluid enough to blend easily with the dry ingredients, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is coated.

  5. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.

  6. Bake the bars for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the oats on the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.

  7. To serve, cut into squares.

Tips from our Bakers

  • If you're using salted peanut butter, reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/8 teaspoon.
  • These bars can easily be made vegan. Mix 1 tablespoon of the flaxseed meal (listed in the dry ingredients) with 3 tablespoons of water in a separate dish and allow to rest for 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes gel-like. Substitute this mixture for the egg in your recipe.