No Bake Almond Butter Bars (Creamy & Crunchy!)

 Sometimes you just strike gold. Almond butter, for example, is gold. Ok... well some may argue with me on that, but you can't say that almond butter isn't AMAZING.... and this is coming from a die hard supporter of peanut butter. I am always looking for more ways to eat almond butter and peanut butter (on fruit, in baked goods, on toast, off a spoon... or even Joey from Friends famous "Peanut butter fingers"). I found this recipe from The Toasted Pine Nut while stalking her drool-inducing instagram account. The original recipe is waaaaay good, and it's so easy to tweak to suit your tastebuds. I subbed creamy almond butter in place of peanut butter and omitted the sweetener. You can use any nut butter you please and toss in whatever crunchy bits you desire. Plus, you only need one bowl, and no baking required! Yes, please.

No Bake Almond Butter Bars
Adapted from The Toasted Pine Nut Creamy Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup raw unsalted creamy or crunchy almond butter (I use Trader Joe's)
3 T. coconut oil, melted
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup hemp seeds (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
1 cup chopped pecans (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (reserve for sprinkling)

Directions:

Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil if needed. Using a wire whisk, whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix in coconut shreds, dark chocolate chips, hemp seeds and pecans. Spread evenly into your prepared bread pan. Sprinkle reserved topping over the top and sprinkle with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour or until set. Once solid, remove by using the parchment paper to lift out of the pan. Cut into bars and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

xoxo