These vegan peanut butter bars are packed with flavor and nutrition.

There are so many nutrition bars brands out there, many of which boast pure, organic ingredients and a glowing nutritional profile. Even so, nothing beats the potential of what you make in the comfort of your own kitchen. You not only have full control of what goes into your treats but also derive so much more satisfaction with each and every bite. This peanut butter bars recipe is something you’ll surely be proud of, especially when you begin to tweak the add-ins with your custom preferences.

Instead of refined white flour and sugar, the recipe calls for gluten-free oats and lower-glycemic coconut palm sugar. The recipe also nixes eggs and milk in favor of flaxseeds and coconut milk. Meanwhile, the peanut butter provides a to-die-for density that will fill you up after just one serving.

Once you master this peanut butter bars recipe, begin to have fun with the add-ins. Replace the raisins with roughly chopped peanuts, dark chocolate chips, carob chips, or dried cranberries. You can also make each bar that more delicious with the addition of a sauce, such as a vegan caramel glaze or vegan white chocolate.

Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Serve 10-15

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (no added oil)
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 or 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add 1 cup of the oats and flax seeds into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles flour. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, stir together the peanut butter, palm sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture until well combined. Fold in the raisins.

Scoop the dough into the baking dish and use a spatula to spread the mixture and even out the edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool before cutting into bars and serving

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Healthy Oat Bars Image from Shutterstock

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This peanut butter fudge recipe defies the norm, serving a crowd (it makes more than 60 servings!) and taking under 15 minutes to prep.

Oftentimes the words “simple” and “dessert” aren’t found in the same sentence. To many, a sugar fix entails grocery store shopping, preparing, mixing, baking, waiting, and then finally noshing. This recipe makes it easy to get in a deliciously rich and dense dessert without the labor.

There is nothing healthy about this fudge recipe, and that’s perfectly okay. Balance is key, and sometimes, all you want is the real deal – real sugar, real milk, real indulgence. Each bite of this peanut butter fudge recipe is a simple dose of sweet satisfaction that will settle your cravings and top off your dinner meal with a joyful essence. Keep your serving level to one or two squares and you really won’t be doing any harm at all.

This peanut butter fudge recipe is children-approved, foolproof and a definite crowd pleaser. It homes in on peanut butter and its universal appeal, but you could just as easily swap in any nut butter you like, such as almond, cashew, pecan, or a mixture of various nut butters.

If you want to improve presentation a bit and add in some more exciting flavors, get creative! My suggestion: drizzle melted white or dark chocolate over and sprinkle chopped M&Ms atop the fudge squares. The sweeter, the better!

Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

Makes more than 60 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ milk
• 1 1/3 cups peanut butter
• 7 ounces marshmallow cream

Directions

Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar and milk to a boil. Let boil for 3 minutes before adding in peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Mix. Once evenly combined, pour the mixture straight into the square pan.

Place the pan into the refrigerator and let sit there for an hour or two to set. Once set, cut into small squares and serve!

Related on EcoSalon

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Peanut Butter Fudge Squares Image from Shutterstock

The post Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe: Sweet, Dense, and Indulgent appeared first on EcoSalon.