Healthier Chewy Granola Bars

I love bringing along healthy snacks when I go hiking or even on long road trips.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of great options when it comes to healthy granola bars. Many are made with questionable ingredients, low-quality oats, processed sugar, and I don’t feel great when I eat them.

I figured it wouldn’t be that difficult to make my own and I was right! You only need a few ingredients for these healthier chewy granola bars and I added a few extra ingredients to make them even better.

I added some plant-based protein powder from Vega to add some protein, something most granola bars are lacking in. I also added some collagen powder for added skin and gut health benefits, and golden flaxseed for omega 3s.

To bring the dry mixture together I used melted coconut oil and raw honey. Yes, honey does add some sugar, but raw honey has some nutritional benefits that white processed sugar does not.

You don’t have to bake these bars, another added bonus! They will be ready to munch on in less than an hour!

Healthier Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 c oats, I used organic quick oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2 scoops plain collagen powder (I used Ancient Nutrition)
• 2 tbsp golden flax powder, chia seeds, or hemp seeds
• 1/3 c chocolate chips (mini or normal)
• 2/3 c raw honey
• 1/3 c melted coconut oil
• dash of almond milk (if needed)

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, protein powder, collagen, flax, and chocolate chips.
2. Add the honey, coconut oil and mix well. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit of almond milk until you get a slightly sticky consistency.
3. Press the mixture down into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment. Let it set in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
4. Cut into bars and keep in a cool place. Enjoy!

Oh, and did I mention these healthier chewy granola bars are kid-approved? My little nephew loved em!

If you liked this healthy recipe, you can find more here. Don’t forget to share this one to Pinterest too! Happy baking!