Who here has to have dessert every night?

Am I the only one? I know, I know, it’s kind of a problem. Having dessert every single day is definitely not practicing the best moderation, especially if you’re like me and typically gravitate towards ice cream as your dessert. And a big ole bowl of it too!

Honestly, my dessert-every-night habit usually only crops up during the summer time- or over Christmas break, but I think that’s normal for any girl during the holiday season! During the school year, I typically don’t have too much time to dawdle downstairs, munching on cookies or indulging in ice cream- I just grab a handful of frozen mango and head upstairs to crank out hours of homework! 😉

Anyways, with the summer coming to a close, I’m hoping to return to my school “routine” (and maybe “figure”) as soon as possible- and I’m going to use cookie bars to achieve this! (Mainly by weaning myself off ice cream every night! ;))

Here are a few facts about me:

I love peanut butter.

I love chocolate.

I love cookies.

And here are a few facts about these cookies:

They’re peanut butter and chocolate chip.

Well, the chocolate chips are optional, but really- who in their right mind would leave them out!?

Luckily, peanut butter is without a doubt one of the most satisfying foods in the world. Due to its high fat content, just a taste will leave you satisfied, and you won’t be tempted to indulge in a handful of cookies full of unhealthy fats (ie. trans fats, saturated fats… basically butters and oils!). Additionally, these cookies are made with whole grains, such as wheat flour and old fashioned oats, that act as a much healthier alternative to flour.

Also, while these PB Oatmeal Bars are certainly sweet, they actually don’t contain any white sugar! Instead, I used coconut sugar and honey, which have a lower hypoglycemic index than white sugar- meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar as much. When you’re trying to crank through a few last hours of summer work, a blood sugar spike is exactly what you want to avoid.

While in a couple weeks my summer dessert craze will just be a distant memory, for now I can certainly enjoy these oatmeal bars as a simple, healthy treat!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars