Paleo Scotcharoos

The original version of this bar is one of my all time favorites.  How can you go wrong with chocolate, peanut butter, crispy Special K cereal, and tons of sugar?  Given our new found healthy living lifestyle eating bars like that isn't a frequent occurrence.  That doesn't necessarily mean I will never eat the original version again, but try to make it a very infrequent indulgence.  Not to say the Paleo version is necessarily healthy, but there isn't the guilt of eating a bunch of processed food and sugar.  

So ever since the 4th of July where a friend of ours made the original version, I had the idea of wanting to try to find a healthier option.  I will be the first one to admit that I'm not a baker and have never been one to make desserts.  With cooking I don't mind experimenting and just throwing things together.  With stuff like this though I have no idea how to balance flavors so I had to do a little research, so this recipe was found on The Paleo Mom's website.  The ingredients listed below is a slight modification from hers, due to the bars being a little bit on the gooey side and a little bit on the sweet side.  I think that could have been because we used a Justin's Maple Almond Butter, it was all we had in the house.  So if you can try to find a plain almond butter to cut a little bit of that sweet, unless you really like sweet desserts. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
• 2 cups whole Raw Almonds
• 1/2 cup Almond Butter
• 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Molasses
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 oz 80% Dark Chocolate

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulverize the almonds until they are broken down into small pieces but not to the point of becoming almond flour.
2. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the chocolate to the food processor and pulse until you are left with a well incorporated goo ball.
3. Line an 8" x 8" baking dish with wax paper.
4. Transfer contents of the food processor to the baking dish and spread evenly.  
5. Place the dish in the fridge or freezer depending on how impatient you are to eat them.  You will want them to cool and be set before adding the chocolate.  
6. Meanwhile melt your chocolate in either a double boiler or carefully in the microwave.  I usually just do the microwave and go in 10-15 second waves, stirring between each one.  
7. After bars are set, pour the melted chocolate onto the bars and spread evenly.  Return to the fridge for 5 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.  
8. Remove the bars from the dish by lifting the wax paper.  Cut into bars and enjoy.  Store any remaining bars in the fridge.