Healthy Trail Mix Bars
The perfect sweet and salty treat that will be your go-to snack, dessert, or breakfast bar!
Noah and I snuck out for a quick last-minute date night on Friday night..and by quick I mean exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes. We left Shepherd (I’m pretty sure this was the third time leaving him---other than when I leave him with Noah!) but according to the best babysitter (aka my dad) he did great. I asked on Instagram where you thought we were headed to eat and you guys know us too well because so many of you guessed it right. We apparently are creatures of habits and need to find a new place. Do you tend to eat at the same places over and over again too?
After I got some snuggles in with Shep and put him to bed I came to the kitchen and felt inspired to create something. The girls love when I make them trail mixes and every day is different. I love adding a mix of nuts, dried fruit, freeze-dried fruit, pretzels, chocolate chips, coconut flakes...and the possibilities go on. It’s a snack that they never get sick of because it’s always changing.
So out of my girls’ love for snacking, these Healthy Trail Mix Bars were born at 8 pm on a Friday night. And I’m not going to lie, they are the perfect mix of sweet and salty. The girls were a little confused that pretzels were in the bars but they loved the extra surprise. I love the mix of flavors you get with the coconut flakes, salty pretzels, and sweet chocolate chips. Yum, currently eating one right now and they are just as good the next day.
Where to Buy
These bars are so easy to make and use only simple ingredients. I get asked a lot where I buy my baking items so I want to share where you can find each item! Keep in mind these are the best prices that I have found for where I live. You may have to do a little research to see where you can find these staple items for the best prices and then stock up so you always have them on hand. Or if you want to make life even easier, I’ve included a link so you can just order it and have it shipped to your front door.
Almond Flour: I like getting my almond flour from Aldi or Sam’s Club because they have a great price. Or you can save and snag some here.
Coconut Sugar: This is a staple in my baking. I use coconut sugar in most of my baked goodies. It’s lower in glycemic index so it’s not going to spike your blood sugar as fast as regular sugar. I buy this at Trader Joes or Target -- I have seen it at Aldi before so check your local store to see if they carry it. I also found it for an amazing price here.
Chocolate Chips: I typically buy dairy-free chocolate chips and right now it’s a must while I’m breastfeeding Shep because he has a very sensitive stomach. I love buying Enjoy Life chocolate chips and recently found Toll House makes dairy-free dark chocolate chips that only have 3 ingredients and 67% cacao. Both can be found at Target.
Coconut Flakes: A quick word about coconut flakes, make sure you buy unsweetened! You have to check and some stores don’t carry them unsweetened so make sure you read the labels (If you’re unsure how to read a nutrition label learn how here.). I like buying unsweetened coconut flakes in bulk because I have found that they are cheaper. Check your local grocery store’s bulk section to see if they offer unsweetened coconut flakes. For this recipe get the finely shredded kind.
Pretzels: If you aren’t gluten-free you can use whatever pretzels you prefer. To make them gluten-free, I use the gluten-free pretzels from Aldi. There’s nothing healthy about them so don’t be fooled by the gluten-free label. We also like Glutino brand that you can buy at HyVee and my mother-in-law always comments on how crunchier gluten-free pretzels are!
Coconut Oil: This is another staple in our home and I use it for everything, not just baking. London’s hands are sensitive and she can’t use the soap at school (but she did in art class) and got a rash the other day from it so coconut oil to the rescue. It’s also great for sauteing veggies or for baked goods. I buy mine at Aldi because it’s the best price I have found for organic and unrefined.
Breakfast, Snack, or Dessert Bars?
I originally made these to be a dessert bar but I honestly think these bars would be perfect for breakfast. They would be a great addition to your weekly meal prep and a quick on the go breakfast option. I love when dessert can be breakfast too! Or if you’re craving something sweet and salty they would be a healthier way to satisfy that craving. And obviously, a delicious way to crush those sugar cravings. Well, now I’m confused about what category these bars should go in! So really you choose, breakfast, dessert, snack...you can’t go wrong.
Healthy Trail Mix Bars
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup almond flour
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, finely shredded
¼ cup pretzels, finely chopped
2 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and live an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients, minus the chocolate chips, in a mixing bowl.
Mix the eggs and coconut oil in a small bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Add in chocolate chips.
Add batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. You may need to use the back of a spoon to press it down and spread it evenly.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked all the way through and edges are browning.
Let cool before cutting into bars.