On-The-Go Protein

We all love grabbing granola bars when we're running out of the house, and protein bars are great when you're on a health kick, but protein bars can be really expensive, and processed foods aren't the best when you're trying to maintain a healthy diet. A couple years ago my dad found this awesome recipe for energy balls/bars I want to share with you. They're delicious, overall really healthy, and you won't feel guilty about snagging a couple when you're in a rush!

What you'll need:

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut flakes (personal favorite: sweetened shredded coconut from Trader Joe's)
*2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter (personal favorite: Adam's crunchy unsalted)
1/3 cup flax seed
1/2 cup crushed granola (personal favorite: Nature's Path, either hemp seed or pumpkin flax)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

*Creamy peanut butter works too, it just makes the mixture harder to work with!

Directions:

1. Gather your ingredients and crush the granola. I put my measured granola in a ziploc and use the back of a spoon to crush it.

2. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine.

3. Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour. After refrigeration, form into 1-inch balls or small bars. Keep refrigerated!

I decided to make bars, so I pressed my mixture into an 8x8 metal pan to refrigerate.

I then cut mine into small bars and popped them back in the fridge on a plate. 2 days and they were gone!

My favorite part about this recipe is that the chocolate chips and honey cure a sweet tooth, but they're guilt-free because there are about 4 chocolate chips per ball/bar! These would be great with some added ingredients like dried cranberries or raisins too. 

Do you have any simple recipes to share? Or any adaptations you'd suggest for this one? I'd love to hear! xoxo