Power up your morning with homemade oat bar recipes
Some mornings simply don't allow enough time to prepare a nutritious and healthy breakfast. It's wise to be ready for such moments. Instead of resorting to a quick fix, consider homemade oat bars. They provide everything your brain needs to function at full capacity without causing a sudden spike in blood sugar and cholesterol.
It's beneficial to make oat bars in advance. Once cooled, you can store them in a container and keep them in the fridge for five days. Pack them in your child's lunchbox or take them to work. If you skip breakfast or need a snack, an oat bar will satisfy your hunger for a few hours.
A healthy alternative to shop-bought snacks
High-protein bars often used by athletes contain unnecessary sweeteners or preservatives. Creating a homemade version gives you complete control over the ingredients. You can choose additions based on your preferences. Mix in almonds or hazelnuts, and add dried or fresh fruits or pieces of dark chocolate. This way, you’ll have a tasty and nutritious snack.
Add spices—not just for better taste
You can include cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg in the oat bars to enhance their flavour and add health benefits. Cinnamon and ginger are known for their warming effects and their ability to fight infections. This information can be particularly useful in early spring when the weather is unpredictable.
Use oats in traditional recipes
Versatile oats can be used not only for healthy bars but also in various other dishes. They can even replace breadcrumbs in meatballs, lowering the dish's calorie content and enriching a traditional meal with valuable nutrients. You can add soaked oats to the meatball mixture and coat them in dry oats before frying. They will positively affect digestive processes, which is a helpful addition to a daily diet.
How to make healthy oat bars?
Choose regular or rolled oats when making the bars. Instant oats are already partially processed, containing less fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients:
- 2 handfuls of dried cranberries
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- a pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons of honey
- 1 mashed apple
- about 2 fluid ounces of coconut milk
- seeds from a vanilla pod
- grated zest from 1 lemon
- 2 cups of oats
- half a cup of chopped nuts
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- half a teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions:
- Cover the dried cranberries with warm water and leave them for 30 minutes.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolk. Beat the egg whites to a frothy texture with a pinch of salt. Combine the beaten whites with one yolk.
- Add honey, mashed apple, coconut milk, seeds from the vanilla pod, and grated lemon zest (ensure the lemon is thoroughly washed and scalded first). Mix well.
- Combine oats, chopped nuts, baking powder, and baking soda in another bowl. Mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until the mixture is cohesive.
- Drain the cranberries and mix them into the mixture.
- Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly and place in an oven preheated to 180°C for 30 minutes.
- Remove the baked dessert from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool. Once cooled, cut into rectangular bars.
