This recipe is a perfect pre-workout snack. It is filled with whole grains to keep your energy up and healthy fat and protein to keep you full longer. Plus they taste delicious. I even took them to a tailgate and they were all gone before I knew it. I know – tailgates are traditionally unhealthy…but I thought, why not when they taste so good?! Enjoy!!

If you are looking for another quick pre or post-workout snack, try this Coffee, Cacao, and Collagen Smoothie!

I bought most of these ingredients from Thrive Market – if you are new to Thrive Market, definitely go check them out! They are an online marketplace that has tons of healthy and organic products (even organic wine!) for a lot less than you will find them at the grocery store. Click HERE and you will get $20 off your order when you purchase a 1 month, 3 months or annual membership!

Quinoa and Oat Dark Chocolate Granola Bar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (Gluten Free if desired)

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup organic or homemade nut or seed butter

1/3 cup raw honey (use maple syrup if you are vegan)

1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1 T chia seeds

1/2 cup dried fruit of choice (we used figs here but also love dried cranberries)

1-2 T dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add oats, quinoa, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to a large baking sheet and spread around evenly. Once the oven is preheated, roast the oats and quinoa for 8-10 minutes. Once done roasting, pour into a medium bowl and set aside. **if you can only find roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds then only roast the oats and quinoa.
2. While that is happening, add nut butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt to a medium saucepan over low heat. Keep an eye on this and stir so as not to burn. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then add to the bowl with the oats and quinoa. Stir well to incorporate. Fold in flaxseed meal, dried fruit and chia seeds.
3. Line an 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper; pour mixture in and spread out evenly, then press mixture down in the pan very firmly.
4. Place pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove mixture from pan and cut into bars and melt chocolate chips for 20 seconds in the microwave or over low heat in a saucepan on the stovetop, stir until melted. If microwaving – do so for 20 seconds at a time and stir in between so as not to burn.  
6. Drizzle over bars and put them back in the freezer until mixture has hardened.
7. Store bars in the fridge. Enjoy!

**adapted from theambitiouskitchen.com