Okay, my friends, I have done it. I have made a cookie that actually is a bit healthy, a lot flavorful and ridiculously moist. There is so much going on in this tiny little bite that you won’t even want to question why I give permission to eat more than 1 at a time!

The inspiration for this recipe is something super personal to me—Earth Day. Not only is it this coming Friday, but it is something that someone very close to me, who we lost all too soon in February, loved. My stepdad—a true adventurer, outdoorsman, hands-on, lover of nature—it is all him behind this here cookie. While he may not be with us any longer, his spirit will always live on, which is why it felt like a crazy coincidence that I would have this urge to make these “Happy Trails” cookies right around Earth Day, right around when the weather is becoming the perfect hiking weather, and his birthday is only a few weeks away.

Like many of us, healthy eating is always the big plan, but then we see something sweet and our heads are instantly like well, I mean, it won’t kill you to eat this entire box of Thin Mints, right? …my stepdad would always hide his because maybe one of us kids would maybe get into them each year..

Anyways!

I am giving you the best of both worlds here. Half butter, half coconut oil—check. Raisins and chocolate chips—double check. Lots of nuts, even more carrots—yes and yes. Want to know something magnificent? First off, the carrots provide so much MOISTURE! The softest, most dream like cookie that isn’t cakey, you can thank those beautiful carrots for more than just good eyesight! Secondly, the carrot flavor is not overpowering. If you are looking for a carrot cake intensity, this, unfortunately, will not give you that, but mixed with all of the other goodies in this cookie, you have yourself quite a treat. Finally, your add-ins are so versatile, you can swap out whichever ones—but this combo is quite perfect if you ask me!

I am giving you a little bit of health and a little bit of sugar in these cookies! You may think that granola bars and apples are the only great outdoor activity snack, but guess again! This here recipe is the perfect addition to your most wild of adventures. Dedicated to my spunky, crazy, full-of-life, extraordinarily courageous step-dad whom I know would highly approve of this recipe!

ingredients

Butter, room temperature—4 oz, or 1 stick

Coconut Oil, melted—4 oz, or ½ C

Brown Sugar—8 oz, or 1 C

Sugar—2 oz, or ¼ C

Eggs—2

Vanilla Extract—1 tsp

Flour—18 oz, or 3 C

Baking Soda—1 tsp

Salt—1 tsp

Cinnamon—2 tsp

Carrots, shredded—4 oz, or 1 C

Chia Seeds—0.25 oz, or ½ TBL

Sunflower Seeds—1 oz, or ¼ C

Peanuts—2.5 oz, or ½ C

Raisins—3 oz, or ½ C

Chocolate Chips—3 oz, or ½ C

process

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.

Once smooth, slowly stream in the melted coconut oil.

Add the eggs and the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Slowly add this to the mixer.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Add in the shredded carrots and the remaining add-ins.

Remove from the mixing bowl and wrap in plastic to chill.

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350˚ F.

Roll into balls, about 2 oz, and bake for 12-14 minutes, until slightly golden.

Remove from the pan onto a cooling rack.

Wait a few minutes (to avoid burning your mouth!) before devouring.

Bon Appétit!

Have I mentioned that I am the ultimate snacker? While I try to make the better decisions like carrots and nuts, if a chocolate chip gets in my line of sight, I can’t help myself and just go for it!

With winter upon us and Storm Jonas covering our little city of Charleston in about 18” of snow, the most physical activity that we’ll be getting anytime soon is shoveling, shoveling and more shoveling, meaning that choosing healthy and filling snacks is a must. Do I wish that I had a little bit more self-control and focused more on meals and less on snacks? Absolutely! But then I wouldn’t be able to eat these insanely good granola bars, or these Whole Wheat Muffins packed with protein, so maybe snacking is the way to go!

On Thursday when I headed to the supermarket the day before the big storm hit, I stocked up on the must haves—fruits, veggies, lots of milk, coconut flour, chips and salsa…

I got home, and was like yes, chips and salsa are fabulous, but if we want something hearty, healthy and filling when it’s time to find our cars under the snow, we need a little something else. Roberto and I really love a good granola bar, but sometimes they can be full of ingredients that no one has ever heard of, and that’s just a no go in this house!

Cue in these granola bars.

The base had to be oaty and nutty for me, always! From there, you can really add anything—spices, seeds, fruit, chocolate! The option of a nut flour is definitely there, but coconut flour adds a slight sweetness, so you can add little to no sugar in the rest of the bar. I love all types of dried fruit, and the dried cranberries can be swapped for something else. The crucial points in this bar? Oats, coconut flour, honey and peanut butter. It is best to use honey over agave or maple syrup because it has more of a viscous texture compared to the others and therefore will hold the bar together better. Almond flour and butter instead of coconut flour and peanut butter? Certainly—you can change that!

If I haven’t won you over so far, get ready for this. This recipe makes 8 bars. Each bar comes in at a delicious 225 calories, 13g of fat and 5g of protein! Tell me you aren’t grabbing your mixing bowl right now!

These granola bars are super healthy, full of great quality ingredients and will fuel all activities—from shoveling to stacking wood to all of your winter storm fun!

ingredients

Oats—1.5 oz, or ½ C

Coconut Flour—1.5 oz, or ¼ C

Pecans, chopped—2 oz, or ½ C

Dried Cranberries—1.5 oz, or ¼ C

Cayenne Pepper—¼ tsp

Cinnamon—½ tsp

Chia Seeds—0.2 oz, or 1 tsp

Salt—¼ tsp

Honey—2.5 oz, or ¼ C

Peanut Butter—3.25 oz, or 1/3C

Vanilla Extract—0.2 oz, or 1 tsp

Chocolate Chips—3 oz, or ¼ C + 1 TBL

process

Preheat your oven to 300˚ F.

In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, pecans, cranberries, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, chia seeds and salt. Mix.

In a heat proof bowl, combine the honey and peanut butter.

Heat in the microwave, or it can be over the stove in a pot, until the peanut butter is nice a melted. *I like to use crunchy peanut butter for this recipe, it gives the bars an added crunch factor—but creamy is fine too!*

Once melted, add in the vanilla extract, and pour all into the dry ingredients mixture.

Using either your hands or a spatula, mix until combined. Your granola mixture will feel slightly stiff, but that’s what you want!

Fold in the chocolate chips.

*You may add the chocolate chips in with the rest of the dry ingredients and mix with the melted peanut butter and honey. The end result in taste is the same, but the chips will melt, making your bars more a chocolate color!*

To bake, I use a square 8”x8” pan, line it with parchment and press the bars evenly into the pan.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes, until the oats just start to brown.

*You could also freeze the bars instead of baking to hold their shape, but I love the crispy oat texture and taste!*

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Cut into bars—you will get 8 out of this pan, and they are only 225 calories each!

Bon Appétit!