In a food processor, add the dates and peanut butter.
Pulse the food processor 5 -6 times just to break up the dates a bit.
Add the chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of the peanuts, and 1 tbsp of water, and pulse again until all combined and sticky.
If your mixture is not combining well, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, until it starts to come together. The main blog post has a photo of what the mixture should look like.
Line a 8 X 8 baking dish with parchment and transfer the mixture to the pan.
Push down the mixture and spread it over the surface of the pan until a flat layer is made.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup of peanuts to the top of the bars.
You could also roll into energy bites using 1 tablespoon of mixture per ball, if you prefer.
You don't have to, but I suggest letting the mixture harden up in the fridge for an hour before slicing, but it is not necessary.
Once cut into bars, store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.