Whether transforming a favorite recipe into a healthier one, or adding extra ingredients that compliment well, we find it rewarding to stray from recipes just enough to make something our own. There have been times this kitchen creativity has gotten us into trouble, but we promise, this recipe is foolproof! They’ve been made many different ways, and they come out delicious every time. Whether you’re looking for a healthy snack for your little ones or grab-and-go breakfast for yourself, these gluten-free bars are simply tasty.
For Peanut Butter Oat Bars:
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3 very ripe bananas (you want about 1.5 cups)
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup hemp protein seeds
1/4 to 1/2 cup peanut butter (or nut butter)
For Regular Oat Bars
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3 very ripe bananas (you want about 1.5 cups)
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp protein seeds
5 dates (pitted and chopped)
Mash bananas until smooth. Mix in oats and remaining ingredients until consistent.
Press batter into a 9” by 9” greased (I used coconut oil) glass baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The edges will begin to brown and pull away from the baking dish.
Cool on a rack, cut into appropriate portions and store in the fridge until ready to eat.
Variations to consider
- If you like a softer bar, you want a moister batter: add another banana or more peanut butter. Quick oats will also make a softer bar.
- If you like a chewier bar, try steel-cut oats (this is our favorite method!).
- If you like a sweet bar, add more dates, or a tablespoon of honey.
- Try adding a tablespoon of ground or whole flaxseed or a tablespoon of chia seeds, for an even healthier bar.
- Bonus: Add a few tablespoons of coconut flakes.
Enjoy! Have a favorite snack recipe? Let us know in the comments!
1 Comment
Most people would associate eating “raw oats” with eating the oat groats without cooking it in anyway, but just soaking them in plain water for a few hours or pouring some milk over it (cornflakes style) – if this is your definition of eating oats raw, then rest assured that it’s quite healthy to eat this way.
But there are some people who would associate eating oats raw with eating the oat groats “dry”, without moisturizing it in anyway, and this way of eating raw oats, is not very healthy as it can lead to some distasteful effects in your stomach or colon.
Eating an instant oatmeal, like Quacker Oats, in a raw dry fashion is not good for you neither is eating steel cut Scottish oats (organic or otherwise) in a dry unsoaked fashion.
If You Don’t Want to Cook It, Just Soak It
Some people believe that eating the oats raw is more nutritious than cooking it, and they do have a point as long as they don’t imply “raw” as eating them dry.
It’s important that oats are soaked (for at-least a hour or two), and made soft, before consumption.
The reason is simple – the nutrition from oatmeal comes from starch, and for the stomach to digest the starch it must get through thick membranes of the cells. The softer the membrane the easier it is for the starch to be accessed and digested.