Simple, Hearty Breakfast Bars

I need three things to get my day going so early: A tall glass of iced coffee, thirty minutes of gentle yoga, and some protein and whole grains.

I’m not hungry when I first get up, nor am I in the mood to heat up the skillet before sunrise. These breakfast bars have been a lifesaver: I just toss one in my bag and nibble on it later on in the morning.

The protein powder is optional– if you’ve got some on-hand, it’ll give your bars a little nutrient boost. I use Vega Complete Whole Food Optimizer in Vanilla Chai, which adds a nice flavor.

Simple, Hearty Breakfast Bars

The Base:

1/4 cup honey

3 Tbs strawberry jam (here’s an easy no-cook recipe for your convenience)

2 Tbs peanut butter

1 Tbs coconut oil

1- 2 Tbs protein powder (Optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

The Goods:

2 cups whole grain oats

1/2 cup nuts or seeds of your choice

3/4 cup raisins

2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat Oven to 300°F and grease and 8×8 cake pan.

2. Combine the ingredients for the base in a large bowl and mix well. If you’re using the protein powder, the finished result will look like something found in a diaper but smell like a PB&J. This is normal.

3. Mix in the dry goods. Stir for about 2-3 minutes to get everything equally coated.

4. Pour the mixture into the pan and press with a spatula to distribute it evenly. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven/pan), until the top is golden brown.

5. Cool completely and cut into 9 squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week (they’ll be eaten before then).

One of these little bars keeps me going strong until lunchtime; combined with good coffee and a good stretch, they give me plenty of energy to do what I do. They even taste wholesome. Enjoy them!

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I’d like to close this post with links to some other breakfast- bar recipes that I’ve tried and really enjoyed. If you’re looking for something a little sweeter, my friend Beth over the thedailygalette has got a fantastic recipe for granola bars on her blog. For a protein-packed bar that you don’t need to bake, Oxygen Magazine has a fast, easy recipe using whey protein. Both are delicious!

Sorry the posting’s been sporadic lately– got quite a bit going on right now. I’ll post later this week. Have a happy 4th of July!