Grab-and-go goodness: Make your own nutritious oat bars
There are mornings when there simply isn't enough time to prepare a nutritious and healthy breakfast. It's good to be prepared for such an occasion. Instead of grabbing something quickly, reach for homemade oat bars. They contain everything your brain needs to work at full capacity. At the same time, they don't cause a spike in blood sugar and cholesterol.
It's worthwhile to make oat bars in advance. After cooling, you can store them in a container and keep them in the refrigerator for 5 days. Pack them in your child's lunchbox and take them to work with you. If you forget to eat breakfast or crave a snack, an oat bar will satisfy your appetite for a few more hours.
A healthy alternative to store-bought snacks
High-protein bars that athletes often reach for frequently contain unnecessary sweeteners or preservatives. By preparing a homemade version, you have complete control over the ingredients. You can choose additions according to your preferences—mix in almonds or hazelnuts, and add dried or fresh fruits or pieces of dark chocolate. This way, you'll get a tasty and nutritious snack.
Add spices—not just for better taste
You can add cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg to the oat bars. Not only will this enrich their flavour, but it will also add health benefits. Cinnamon and ginger exhibit warming effects and help fight infection. This information can be handy in early spring when the weather is very unpredictable.
Use oats in traditional recipes
Practical oats can be used not only to prepare healthy bars but also in a variety of dishes. They can even replace breadcrumbs in meatballs. Their addition will lower the calorie content and enrich a traditional meal with valuable nutrients. You can add soaked oats to the meatball mixture and coat them in dry oats before frying. They positively influence digestive processes, which is a benefit in a daily diet.
How to make healthy oat bars?
Choose regular or rolled oats for making the bars. Instant oats are already partially processed, so they contain 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,
- approximately 60 mL 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:
- Pour warm water over the dried cranberries and let them sit for 30 minutes.
- Take the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites into a foam with a pinch of salt. Mix the beaten whites with one yolk.
- Add honey, mashed apple, coconut milk, seeds from the vanilla pod, and grated lemon zest (remember to wash and scald the lemon thoroughly beforehand). Mix well.
- Combine oats, chopped nuts, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Mix them well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir until a cohesive mass is obtained.
- Drain the cranberries from the water and mix them into the bar mixture.
- Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread it evenly and place it in the oven preheated to 180°C (rounded from 355°F) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the baked dessert from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool. Once cooled, cut into rectangular bars.
