Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Cereal Bars

Salt, peanut butter, and chocolate...these don't really need any more convincing.  I was inspired by a few recipes for cereal bars, and wanted something that was sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy, and packed with carbs, protein, and healthy fats for a satisfying snack.  

When you're feeling a mid-day lull in your energy, it's helpful to eat a snack that contains protein, fats, and carbohydrates.  Here's why.... When you eat carbohydrates, it causes a quick spike in blood sugar, which wakes you up momentarily, but is often followed by a heavy crash.  When you add a healthy fat to the snack, it allows for a slowing down of the digestion and absorption of the carbohydrates so that you have a steadier energy.  Healthy fats also help your body absorb nutrients and increase satiety so that you feel satisfied and nourished.   

If you don't tolerate peanuts, you can sub other nut butters.  You can also experiment with different types of cereal.  I love using Cheerios because they're naturally gluten free!  Comment below if you try the recipe with different nut butters or cereals to let us know how they turn out!

Recipe:

3 Cups of Cheerios (you can use rice chex or another cereal if you prefer)
2/3 Cups raw honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 Cups peanut butter
1/4 Cup dark chocolate (melted)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Combine the honey, vanilla, and peanut butter in a bowl, heating if necessary to make it easier to mix.

Put the cereal in a large bowl and pour the peanut butter and honey mixture over the top, stirring to combine.

Line a pan with tin foil, then firmly press the cereal mixture into the pan to make a dense bar.  You'll hear some of the cereal breaking, which is a good sign that they'll be dense enough to hold together.

Melt the chocolate in a pan or microwave (mix every 20 seconds so it doesn't burn), and spread the chocolate over the bars.

Sprinkle sea salt over the chocolate before it hardens.

Freeze for 20 minutes, then cut into bars.  

Store in the freezer or refrigerator.  

*you can find order raw honey and peanut butter online through my Amazon affiliate links, or find the ingredients at your local grocery store!