Healthy Chocolate, Nut Granola Bars

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and line with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse peanuts, pecans and almonds until crushed. It’s all good if there are small and larger pieces.

On a large baking sheet, combine oats, nuts, coconut and flax seed, and roast at 350ºF for 15–20 minutes until toasty brown and fragrant (stirring once halfway). Remove from oven, toss into a large mixing bowl and let cool slightly (I pop mine into the fridge for 10 minutes).

Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, pulse honey, maple, dates, and vanilla until smooth (little bits of dates are ok, it won’t be totally smooth).

Into the cooled oat mixture, stir salt, ground flax seed and chocolate chips. Pour in honey mixture and stir until well incorporated.

Pour into prepared 9 x 13 baking dish and press mixture firmly into bottom—I find a spatula or fingertips work best. Bake at 300ºF for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool for a good hour or two before attempting to remove and cut into bars.