Healthy Breakfast Bars You’ll Actually Eat!

Today I am sharing a recipe for Healthy Breakfast Bars. Homemade baked goods are a favorite and for these bars, you’ll only need are a few simple ingredients. Plus they are great to make in advance of a busy week. #mealprephack

Bars are a great option for breakfast and pair nicely with coffee, if you’ve got time to sit down and enjoy ’em. They also travel quite well so they make for a great snack on the go. I eat them anytime I need something healthy and satisfying. And on really busy days at work, I’ve been known to eat one in the car on the way home.

I’m by no means a pro in the kitchen, but these bars are nearly goof-proof.  They are super quick to make, totally customizable to suit your needs and make enough to last throughout the week. We like to make them on the weekend, so it’s one less thing to think about as we prep meals for the week ahead.

The basic recipe is below, but get creative! You can vary the ingredients based on what’s in season or what you can find at your grocery store or at the farmers market. Or try any combinations that sound great to you!

====> Before we jump into the recipe, I wanted to make sure you knew about my FREE Class: The 4 Habits Every Nurse needs to Survive their Next Shift! Grab your seat here. It’s sure to make your next shift THAT much better!

Healthy Breakfast Bars Ingredient List:

• 2 cups of oats (I suggest using quick-oats. Steel cut can lead to mixed results.)

• 1 cup chopped nuts of your choosing (almonds or walnuts are great choices)

• 1/2 cup protein powder (any brand you prefer, but choose unflavored or vanilla if possible)

• 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit of your choice (strawberries, cherries, blueberries are solid options)

• 1/2 cup agave (can also substitute maple syrup)

• 1/2 cup chopped dates (remove the pits)

Healthy Breakfast Bars Supplies:

• Cutting board

• Paring knife

• Food Processor

• Loaf pan or square pan (8 x 8 or similar size)

Healthy Breakfast Bars Tips for Getting Started:

Remember to rinse or wash your fruit if you are using fresh fruit. You can pre cut/dice the fruit into small pieces.

While you are getting the rest of your ingredients prepared, soak your dates in a little water. This will soften them and they will be much easier to chop! Remember to drain before chopping.

If you’re using frozen fruit, it’s important to defrost it first. Soak the portion you will be using in water. Feel free to leave the the fruit in the freezer bag. Defrosting is quick and only takes about 10 minutes. 

A word of caution: Avoid defrosting your fruit by putting it in the microwave. This can alter the consistency and make your frozen fruit soggy.

If you don’t have the vanilla extract, it’s ok to skip it. The same goes for the pinch of salt; it’s totally ok to omit it if you don’t have any handy.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Prepare the dry ingredients first. Start with the chopped nuts, protein powder, half the oats (so just one cup) and a pinch of salt. 
3. Put everything into the food processor. Blend well until combined.
4. Next add the chopped dates. Pulse the mixture for approximately one minute.
5. Then add in your wet ingredients: fruit, agave (or maple syrup) vanilla extract plus the remaining cup of oats.
6. Blend well. Stopping the food processor as needed to scrape down the sides; ensuring all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
7. The consistency will be sticky.  This is ideal.
8. Add mixture to the loaf pan or baking pan.
9. Put in preheated oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
10. When the oats are cooked the edges will be ever so slightly brown.
11. Cool thoroughly before cutting into squares. 

Storage: These bars can be stored in reusable “seal and store bags” or in a covered Tupperware and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Variations:

As I mentioned previously, we like to use seasonally available ingredients. Here are some ideas to give you flavor inspiration!

Our favorites include:

Spring/Summer: Strawberries, Blueberries, or Pineapple with shredded coconut. Coconut is a great addition to any healthy breakfast bar recipe. I add about 1/4 cup shredded coconut in with the ingredients in step 5 before the final blending.

Fall/Winter: Make this recipe with Apples, Cherries, Cranberries, Pumpkin (canned or cooked). You can also add in a little pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice flavoring. Just add 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in with the ingredients in step 2 of the recipe. You can also use Maple Syrup for this recipe instead of the agave when it’s a ‘fall’ flavor.

I hope you try this easy oat recipe! If you do, let me know what flavor combinations you came up with and how they turned out!

P.S. Don’t forget to grab your seat in my FREE Class: The 4 Habits Every Nurse needs to Survive their Next Shift! I promise it’ll make your next shift at work THAT much better! Reserve your spot HERE.