Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Oat Bars

10/6/2014

Why is it that as soon as I decide that I need to start limiting my sugar intake, I start to crave chocolate chip cookies?

I mean a really great, warm out of the oven, melt in your mouth with the worlds best chocolate - kind of chocolate chip cookie.

After an entire weekend of trying to get this cookie image out of my brain, I decided that they only way that I was going to stop fixating on chocolate chip cookies was to EAT a chocolate chip cookie.

I did however, trick myself (which is surprisingly easy to do) into eating a healthy version of a chocolate chip cookie while still satisfying my craving.

These whole wheat dark chocolate oat bars are super easy to make and they are health-IER than the traditional chocolate chip cookie.

They are delicious too - mostly because I loaded mine up with LOTS of really great dark chocolate that I had gotten from Sprouts.

Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
2 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut (or canola) oil, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla and beat until combined and the dough holds together (the dough will seem oily, this is good).