Chocolate Chip Coconut Snack Bars - A.K.A. Scotty Bars

Very rarely do Scott and I ever sit down for a snack or a meal and eat the same thing. We tend to have our own versions of everything, including granola bars. So we started giving them either the "Jessie" or "Scott" prefix to differentiate between versions, and to be cute, of course. "Jessie Bars" have now become my chocolate peanut butter protein bar (recipe here) with a tablespoon or two of maca powder added. And now we have recently introduced the "Scotty Bars" to our weekly menu, incorporating some of his favorite flavors. Chocolate and coconut. These babies are packed with energy sustaining nutrients that will keep you going all morning or afternoon. Plus they only take a few minutes to whip up and require no time in the oven - WIN. Not to mention, if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, you'll love the hint of a cookie dough taste these possess. One of these guys paired with a cup'o'coffee first thing in the morning is sure to send you off into the day full of good vibes. Each of these bars (Jessie and Scotty Bars) also make for great road trips snacks. Just make sure to keep them in an airtight container or baggy in a cooler (or lunch pale with an ice pack) if you do decide to bring them along!

Makes 5 bars.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

Heaping 1/3 cup raw brazil nuts

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Pinch of pink salt

Few dashes of cinnamon

1/3 cup raw cacao nibs

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup raw agave

1/4 cup raw honey or more agave

Using a food processor, Vitamix, or a Nutri Bullet (with the milling blade) pulse the oats, sunflower seeds, and raw brazil nuts (separately) a few times to break up into smaller coarse chunks. Combine all three in a small mixing bowl after pulsing. Mix in the pink salt, cinnamon, coconut, and cacao nibs. Then add the almond butter and honey/agave. Mix well, making sure to really incorporate and distribute the almond butter and sweetener throughout until the mixture in nice and sticky. Press into a 9x5 inch bread pan, lined with parchment. Either freeze for 10-15 minutes to set before slicing, or refrigerate for an hour or two. Remove them from the pan and slice into 5 bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.