Peanutty Bars

Ok, so maybe I could have come up with a more creative name.  Maybe Protein Bar?  And these are not allergen-free, but they sure are gluten-free!  And super yummy.  I am on a mission to make gluten-free snacks to have in the house.  I tried making crackers and it was my first gluten-free, all-out failure.  They actually went into the trash can.  Most things, even if they don’t work for their intended purpose, can be repurposed.  Not the crackers.  They were a full-out bust!  These, on the other hand……

This recipe makes a lot of these little peanutty bars.  They are very rich, so I make my bars on the smaller side.   I hope you enjoy them!  And the best part?  No need to heat up the house this summer by turning on the oven!  They are a no-bake treat!

Peanutty (Protein) Bars

3/4 Cup Peanut Butter (Almond Butter would be a nice substitute)

3/4 Cup Honey

1 1/4-1 1/2 Mixed Nuts

1/4 Cup Chia Seeds

1 Cup Raisins (you can use any mixture of dried fruit you like)

4 Cups Gluten-Free Rice Check (I have used the regular and the honey)

Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper (or parchment paper) and set aside.

Put nuts, raisins and seeds in food processor and pulse until it is coarsely ground.

Mix peanut butter (or almond butter) with honey in a large pot or sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Once it starts to bubble, cook it, while stirring, for about a minute.  Watch it closely – it will scorch easily.

Remove from heat and mix in the nut mixture and the cereal.  You may want to crush the cereal a little before mixing, but you can also crush it during the mixing to break it up a bit.  Stir the until it is evenly coated with the peanut/honey mixture.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Place a piece of wax paper over the top and roll it out evenly.  Place the covered sheet in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.  Then remove the wax paper on top, cut into desired size and place in a wax paper-lined container.  I place wax paper between each layer to avoid them all sticking together.  Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.  Trust me, they won’t last long… I didn’t even get a chance to take a picture!  I’ll post from the next batch I make.