Healthy Oatmeal Snack Bars

About a month ago, I felt the need to reduce the amount of sweets I had grown accustomed to eating.  Since we bake often, I grew into the habit of grabbing whatever had been baked recently as a quick meal or snack.  Though I am ALL for enjoying yummy treats and think we should, I could tell that my change in eating habits was causing me to feel very fatigued and lazy.  I needed a substitute goody that would satisfy my sweet tooth, yet have a nutritional punch too.

I came upon this recipe, and thought I'd give it a try.  I ended up tweaking it slightly and changing some of the measurements.  I really love these bars.  My kids love them too!  They definitely curb my sugar cravings without leaving me with a terrible sugar crash.  And now that I'm doing the 42 Days to Fit program, they're a perfect snack for me!

Here's what I came up with!

Healthy Oatmeal Snack Bars

1 1/2 C. oats
1/4 - 1/2 C. walnuts, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 C. cashews, chopped
2-3 T. cocoa (my hubby likes 2 T, I like 3)
3 T. ground flax seed
2 T. chia seed (if you have them on hand)
3 T. coconut oil, melted
honey (enough to sweeten to your liking)

Mix all the dry ingredients.  Add coconut oil and honey.  Mix well and taste for sweetness.  Line a
9 x 9 baking dish or pan with foil.  Spread mixture evenly into pan and press down with a fork so that the mixture is packed down.  Let cool in refrigerator for about an hour.

Once set, lift foil out of pan and cut into bars.  Enjoy!