Creamy Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars

I think the issue is my sleeping at night is the worst. Ok, true it was way worse when I had itty bitty babies that NEVER slept, but for some reason I’ve been having the hardest time falling asleep. And then I wake up at least once in the middle of the night and toss and turn a bit. My mattress stinks. Not smelly, just like not a good mattress. Maybe I need a new pillow, I don’t know. Last night I blasted a space heater at myself and put lavender essential oil on my pillow and it definitely eased me into sleep.

But then there was that whole waking up a couple hours later in a sweat scene and turning off the heater. Lavender essential oils, though. You need it.

When I was in 7th grade I had this stress relief pillow spray. Because 7th grade life is stressful! I would spray it every night, soaking my pillow with this stuff. Then I’d place my head on it so my face was secondarily misted from the little beads that repelled across my pillow fabric. I wanted to absorb the stress relief into my sleeping pores. Apparently my creature comforts have not changed since I was 13. Don’t judge me too hard.

I struggle with breakfasts. I’ve mentioned this a million times before, and I feel like I’m on the constant search for the perfect easy, grab and go breakfast food. I used to be obsessed with granola bars, but they became kind of a pricey habit and the ones I was buying weren’t that healthy. This morning, in an effort to avoid the kitchen, I got a protein bar from the store and I decided in that exact moment that I needed to just dig my heels in and make my own granola bars already. Because the one I got STUNK and I knew I could make one a million times better. And so I did.

I feel like this could be a Sunday tradition for me. Make granola bars every Sunday to have for breakfasts throughout the week. Done.

Truth be told I’m not certain these should be classified as “granola” bars. They’re definitely bars. They’re definitely delicious. They border on dessert, or quite well may be full on in dessert territory. But calling them “granola” bars makes them healthy, right? Despite the fact they have ZERO granola in them? Totally appropriate for breakfast.

Ok, I just went back and changed the name of these. These are NOT granola bars. They are peanut butter bars. But they’re different than these crispy chocolate butter bars because these and creamy and crunchy and those babies are crispy. So there. Different.

And so we’re off. Creamy Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars here we come!!

Mix together the peanut butter, coconut oil, agave, vanilla, and sea salt. Whisk until smooth and combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts, coconut shreds, chocolate chips, flax seeds, and chopped almonds.

Line a bread pan with parchment paper and pour the batter in. Use your rubber spatula to smooth it out and sprinkle with additional chips and nuts. Place it in the freezer for about 2 hours.

Remove from pan by pulling the sides of the parchment paper. Cut into bars and store in fridge.