Gluten-Free Bars Ready in 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Instructions:

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 300g of rolled oats and 60g of chopped walnuts. Shake the pan frequently for about 5 minutes until the oats turn golden and smell toasted. Remove from heat and toss with hemp hearts in a large bowl.
2. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine 128g of creamy peanut butter and 170g of honey. Heat for 30 seconds, then whisk in 5g of vanilla bean paste and 3g of sea salt until the mixture is velvety and smooth.
3. Pour the toasted oats, walnuts, and hemp hearts into the peanut butter mixture. Use a sturdy spatula to fold everything together until every oat is coated in the sticky binder. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before adding the chocolate chips to prevent full melting.
4. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Use the bottom of a heavy glass to press the mixture down with significant force to create a compact, level surface.
5. Top with flaky salt and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the structural emulsion to set completely before slicing into 12 bars.