Peanut Butter Rice Cake Bars

I don’t know about you, but I am fiend for a snack. It gets to about 4 o clock every afternoon and my body is like ‘where’s the treats?‘ Since I go to the gym most nights after work, I like my afternoon snack to be filling but not as much as a meal. My training schedule at the minute includes a lot of cardio so too much food pre-training just makes me want to vomit. Nice.

Now, I love to live a balanced lifestyle. Quaratine for me was not really a huge weight gain, as I did workout from home and do a lot of walking, but I do feel like I want to cut back and get into a more healthier lifestyle where I don’t just sit eating and watching Netflix. When I first started going to the gym a few years ago, I was guided into the idea that a pre-workout snack was peanut butter and rice cakes. Let me tell you, it is not. I hated it. I always wanted something more satisfying and it just left me craving and ultimately overeating.

I’ve since realised that being prepared is key and let me introduce you to a similar but alternative to a peanut butter rice cake in the form of a bar! These go along a similar concept with a little added yum! They are slightly higher in calories than your typical peanut butter rice cakes, but I find that I gain more energy for my workout because they are a little denser. Adding a chocolate layer on top just curbs my afternoon sweet tooth and keeps my cravings at bay, ready to be fully focused on my workout.

Peanut Butter Rice Cake Bars

Buy This:

• 2 Cups Smooth Peanut Butter
• 5 Pitted Dates
• Pinch Salt (if peanut butter is unsalted)
• 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Melted)
• 1/2 Cup Puffed Rice
• 1/2 Cup Desiccated Coconut
• 200g Dark Chocolate (Melted)
• Toasted Coconut Flakes for Topping

Do This:

1. Line a square tin with baking paper.
2. In a blender, combine peanut butter, dates, salt and coconut oil until smooth.
3. In a bowl, mix puffed rice with desiccated coconut and add peanut butter mix to coat all rice well.
4. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
5. Melt chocolate. I do this in the microwave pausing every 30 seconds to mix with a fork until fully melted but you can also do it in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.
6. Spread chocolate onto top and sprinkle with coconut flakes.
7. Freeze for about 1 hour until hard then cut and store in the fridge.