Oatmeal Bars

Hi everyone, I'm back!  Sorry for the hiatus; attempting to sell my apartment and a week long vacation have kept me very busy the last two weeks, but I'm finally back in the kitchen and excited to share what I've been up to :)

As you probably can guess, I am always on the lookout for easy snacks to have around.  I have tried my fair share of bars and other packaged snacks, but they tend to be expensive and even the organic ones don't quite live up to my ingredient standards.  That's why I'm so obsessed with muffins, and why I was excited to see a new recipe on Weelicious for Oatmeal On-The-Go Bars.  The ingredient list is great - whole grains, minimal sugar, and the opportunity for wholesome add-ins.  Plus, they looked super easy to make - similar to muffins, but without the extra step of getting batter into muffin tins (and then having to clean said muffin tins!).

I ended up keeping them really simple - I skipped the add-ins because I wasn't sure what I'd enjoy and just wanted to test the recipe in its basic form.  The results were great - dense, chewy oatmeal that you can eat with your hands!  The muchkin was a huge fan, too - ate every last bite of her bar at snack time.  I think they have just the right amount of cinammon and sweetness to make them enjoyable but not dessert-like, but I also think they would taste delicious with a drizzle of maple syrup if you were so inclined.  Feel free to have fun with add-ins, depending on how you like your oatmeal (and feel free to leave comments if you find a great combo!).  I've included the suggested amounts below, but as I mentioned the recipe worked perfectly with no extras at all!

Oatmeal Bars
adapted from Weelicious

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk (any kind you like)
3 tablespoons agave
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried fruit (optional)
1/2 cup nuts or seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with oil or grease with butter.

Mix oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.  In a larger bowl, whisk together milk, agave, applesauce, egg, and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine.  Stir in any add-ins you're using.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, until starting to brown (mine was just a little brown around the edges and seemed to be cooked perfectly inside).

Cool, cut into squares, and store in fridge for up to 5 days or longer in the freezer.
 
Makes 16 squares