Simple Oatmeal Bars (with Blueberry and Carrot) (to Share with the Children)

With nutritious but accessible components, these simple Oatmeal Bars are a yummy snack or breakfast to share with the children. They’ve carrots and blueberries, plus complete grains and protein. They’re so scrumptious…and are made with out eggs or dairy for pals with allergic reactions.

These wholesome baked Oatmeal Bars are one in every of my favourite methods to serve up lots of vitamins in an easy-to-eat format. The carrots mix into the batter so when you can see them, the aren’t an apparent texture distraction. The blueberries add some sweetness and nutritional vitamins. The combo of the 2 actually provides such yummy taste.

We love these for snack time and likewise breakfast. I prefer to pair them with a toddler smoothie, yogurt for infants or toddlers, or cooked eggs. Or generally simply water, relying on starvation ranges.

I usually put half of the batch of oatmeal bars into the freezer to avoid wasting for a future week—they freeze very well—and that helps us to be enthusiastic about consuming them since we don’t need to eat them abruptly. These are a yummy toddler meal or preschool snack, too.

(You may additionally like my Banana Bars, Blueberry Date Bars, Peach Crumb Bars, and Wholesome Jam Bars.)

Substances You Want

Listed here are the components you’ll must make these oatmeal bars so you recognize what to select up on the retailer—or get out from the pantry.

• Fast or instantaneous oats: You can too use common rolled oats floor up within the meals processor or blender in order that they’re a finer texture that blends in properly with the batter.
• Entire wheat flour: A bit of flour within the combine helps the batter maintain collectively. You need to use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have got available.
• Melted coconut oil or butter: Soften this, then let it cool for a minute or two so it’s not piping sizzling once you add it to the batter.
• Creamy unsweetened almond butter: You need to use sunflower seed butter as wanted for a nut allergy or peanut butter would work, too.
• Maple syrup: Honey may even work right here (although keep away from it for teenagers beneath age 1.)
• Grated carrot: I desire to grate a complete carrot on a field grater for the finer texture versus utilizing shredded carrots from the shop, however each would work.
• Blueberries: If the berries are very massive, I like to recommend slicing them in half with kitchen scissors. You can too use frozen blueberries.
• Egg: That is completely elective however makes the bars a bit of extra cake-like than the marginally crunchy texture they’ve with out an egg.

TIP: You need to use common all-purpose flour, gluten-free cup for cup, sunflower seed butter as a substitute of almond butter, and honey as a substitute of maple syrup. A lot of choices!

Step-by-Step Directions

Right here’s a take a look at the fundamental course of of creating this oatmeal bar recipe so you recognize what to anticipate. Scroll right down to the top of the recipe for the total data.

Step 1. Preheat the oven and line a pan with parchment paper. Add the components to a bowl.

Step 2. Stir collectively gently, attempting to not smash the berries.

Step 3. Press into the ready pan, urgent evenly to the perimeters.

Step 4. Bake and take away from the oven. Let cool fully earlier than slicing.

TIP: I prefer to line the pan with parchment paper so the perimeters cling over the edges. This makes it simple to elevate oatmeal bars out of the pan as soon as the bars are baked, cooled, and able to slice.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Find out how to Retailer

Retailer oatmeal bars in an hermetic container for as much as 5 days within the fridge. Freeze for as much as 3 months in a freezer bag with as a lot air eliminated as attainable.

Finest Ideas for Success

• Cool oatmeal bars totally earlier than slicing to forestall the bars from crumbling when slicing.
• Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour combine as a substitute of complete wheat flour.
• Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter as a substitute of almond butter.
• Creamy unsweetened peanut butter (I like Teddies or Smuckers) ought to work instead of almond butter).
• You need to use honey as a substitute of maple syrup in these oatmeal bars.
• I desire the feel of carrots which can be grated at house on a field grater as they’re finer than these you should buy on the retailer.
• Recent blueberries work finest on this recipe (frozen ones could cause the batter to grab up and be arduous to press into the pan).
• In case you have extra blueberries to make use of after making oatmeal bars with them, attempt my Blueberry Banana Smoothie, Blueberry Popsicles, Blueberry Mini Muffins, and Blueberry Banana Bread.

I’d love to listen to your suggestions for those who do that recipe. Please remark under and fee the recipe!

• Preheat the oven to 375 levels F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper so it overhangs on two sides so the bars are simple to elevate out as soon as baked and cooled.

• Combine collectively all the components in a medium bowl besides the blueberries. (Add the egg if utilizing.) Stir within the blueberries gently.

• Press into the ready pan so the batter is even and pressed to the perimeters.

• Bake for 24-26 minutes or till the perimeters are flippantly golden brown and set.

• Cool totally. (Actually, please let it sit till it is cool to the contact! You possibly can pop it into the fridge to hurry this up if you would like. It might crumble a bit for those who slice when nonetheless heat.)

• Slice into bars and serve or retailer. I usually reduce into 16 small squares, however you possibly can reduce them bigger if desired.

• Retailer in an hermetic container for as much as 5 days within the fridge. Freeze for as much as 3 months in a freezer bag with as a lot air eliminated as attainable.
• Gluten-free: Use cup for cup flour as a substitute of complete wheat flour.
• Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter as a substitute of almond butter.
• Including an egg makes these bars barely cakier than the marginally crisp texture (like a cookie bar) you get with out an egg. It’s as much as you.
• Creamy unsweetened peanut butter (I like Teddies or Smuckers) ought to work instead of almond butter).
• You need to use honey as a substitute of maple syrup.
• I desire the feel of carrots which can be grated at house on a field grater as they’re finer than these you should buy on the retailer.
• Recent blueberries work finest on this recipe (frozen ones could cause the batter to grab up and be arduous to press into the pan).
• Cool totally earlier than slicing to forestall the bars from crumbling when slicing.

Energy: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 2g, Fats: 6g, Saturated Fats: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 2g, Sodium: 53mg, Potassium: 84mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 671IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

This submit was first printed August 2020.