Give me anything with chocolate and nuts and I am in heaven. So when we didn’t have anything nutty and chocolate in the house I decided to make a small batch of peanut butter squares.
I created a healthier version, of course, made with whole grain graham crackers and healthy peanut butter. 
First start with simple peanut butter. I like Teddie and Smuckers because the ingredients listed are as they should be: peanuts, salt and in my case, also flax seeds. No added fake ingredients like partially hydrogenated fats and preservatives in this jar. I love this peanut butter as the flax seeds add a bit more fiber (keeps you feeling full) and are rich in the plant source of omega 3 fatty acids, known for heart health.
This recipe also calls for graham cracker crumbs but my local grocery store only had crumbs that had high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils, a form of trans fats that are very bad for your health. So, I opted to make my own crumbs out of Back to Nature Grahams (simply whirl in your food processor or place in a brown bag and hammer into crumbs!) Take a look at this ingredient list:
Lots of whole grains! These grahams taste good but are a little less sweet than the unhealthy ones.
This recipe can easily be cut in half or quartered so rather than using a baking pan, I simply place some parchment paper on a plate to form a square of the peanut butter mixture, like this.
Then top with melted chocolate…OH yeah!
After 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge, these are ready to eat! Seriously delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 TB butter, melted
- 1 ½ cup Graham cracker crumbs (I used Back to Nature which are healthier than traditional crumbs)
- ½ cup Confectionary sugar
- 1 cup All-natural peanut butter with flaxseed (Teddie Brand)
- Topping:
- ½ cup Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoonPeanut butter with flaxseed
Instructions
- To make peanut butter mixture, place all ingredients (not topping ingredients) in a bowl and mix until blended. On a large flat plate, place a sheet of parchment paper, and add peanut butter mixture, top with another piece of parchment paper and squish mixture down with hands forming a square about 1/2 inch thick.
- In microwave safe dish, place chocolate chips, oil and peanut butter on med-high heat for 30 seconds, stir and heat for additional 20 minutes until completely melted. Scoop melted chocolate on top of peanut square and spread out evenly with back of spoon.
- Place peanut butter square in the fridge for about an hour. Cut into squares. Keep bars refrigerated.
Michael
You are killing me! This looks delicious!
katescarlata
Everything in moderation! Whole grain and peanut butter mostly so fills you up and supplies a bit of sweet. YUM!