Anyone who follows me on social media will know how much I love a good breakfast. It’s my favourite meal of the weekend where I can take my time over a really special dish. Midweek, however, I can barely manage a quick cup of coffee while I dry my hair. Earlier this year I became slightly addicted to a particular peanut bar that I would grab on the way on work. They are very expensive though so I had to knock that one on the head.  I decided to experiment to try to make my own.

These Peanut and Chocolate Breakfast Bars are the result. I’m not saying they are the same but they are delicious.  I’m also not claiming these are healthy, they do contain peanut butter, chocolate and lots of honey after all. But they are easy, tasty and filling, perfect for a breakfast or any snack on the go. I also like that when you make these things from scratch you know exactly what is going into them. They take less than half an hour to make and that includes 20 minutes of toasting the oats in the oven. Store them in a airtight container where they should keep for at least a week.

By the way, my favourite weekend breakfast treat is Eggs Benedict!

 

 

Useful tips & links:

• I use roasted and salted peanuts in these. I love the contrast of salt with chocolate. If you want to use plain peanuts do, but make sure you roast them to bring out their nutty flavour.
• I leave the peanuts whole, but if you want a neater bar, chop them up or pulse them into small pieces in a food processor.
• Use this recipe as a base for your own tastes or for what you have yourself at home. You can put dried fruit in them if you like, I’m not really a fan so I leave it out. Use whatever mix of seeds you like or mix up the nuts with some almonds etc.
• If you want to make these vegan use agave syrup instead of honey. Some recipes use brown sugar too, these are sweet enough for me.
• For another chocolate breakfast recipe idea see by Crunchy Chocolate Granola. or see these delicious looking Breakfast Raw Energy Bars from Theresa at The Green Apron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peanut and Chocolate Breakfast Bars

Makes 12 Bars

 

 

Ingredients:

• 500g of peanuts, plain or roasted and salted
• 100g of rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
• A good pinch of salt, if using plain peanuts
• 150g of peanut butter
• 150g of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 100g of dark chocolate chips

 

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 160c/140c fan/gas mark 3 and line an 8″ square cake tin with parchment paper.
• Mix the oats and seeds together and spread them on a baking sheet. If using plain peanuts, add them along with salt. Bake them in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden, stirring half way through so that they toast evenly.
• While they are in the oven, heat the peanut butter and honey together in a small saucepan. Mix well until the peanut butter has melted. Then add the vanilla, stir well and set aside.
• Pour the toasted nuts, oats and seeds into a large bowl and stir through the chocolate chips and then the melted honey and peanut butter. If you want the chocolate chips to remain whole, allow the peanut butter and honey mix to cool a little before stirring through. If you let it cool too much it will thicken and will be difficult to mix.
• Press the mixture as evenly as possible into the cake tin and set in the fridge overnight before cutting into bars. They will keep well in an airtight container.