This past week I was craving a hearty oatmeal chocolate chunk cookie with just the perfect amount of sweetness, a bit of crispiness on the edges, and a thick warm soft center – there was only one problem…
I was feeling pretty lazy and after a week of failed baking innovations I didn’t want to scoop out 32 cookies, wait for them all to bake, and find out I had another less than perfect batch of baked goods on my hands (some weeks are just like that!). So, I took a chance, added a bit more liquid than one usually would to your average cookie dough mix and these beautiful, satisfying oat bars were born π
Here it is folks, the perfect, hearty snack that is 100% vegan, gluten-free and filled with lots of delicious melt-y chocolate chunks – my favourite part of course. Why I love this bar? It contains no added flour and the sugar and oil is kept to a bare minimum meaning they are actually a healthy snack unlike a lot of the “oat” bars sold in groceries stores where the second ingredient is sugar and the third is oil. Did I mention there is also coconut in these babies? I love coconut and if you don’t give coconut a chance – The coconut adds a lovely texture and flavour that definitively would be lacking otherwise. These bars also take very well to freezing in dough or in baked form.
Did I mention the dough is super delicious – I recommend licking the spoon! The best part about vegan baking? Not worrying about consuming raw eggs when licking the spoon because we all do it anyways π These bars are super easy to make – mix them up, let them cool off in the fridge, bake them and voila your oat bars are ready to be enjoyed for a mid-dayenergizing boost. Putting them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes is a crucial step – this ensures that they will get nice, puffy and soft when you bake them. The first time I made these I skipped this step and I ended up with a flat and crispy oat bar.. So leave them in the fridge, study, run an errand or go for a jog – your oat bars will be waiting for you to be baked when you’re back π
The texture of these is between a soft, hearty oatmeal cookie and a dense cake – meaning they make the perfect filling snack or on the go breakfast! Especially, during exam times when you still want to maintain a healthy diet but often rely on sweets due to the late nights, stress and deadlines! Back in 1st year of university my girlfriends and I used to go out and buy one of the mini (haha , who am I kidding? The normal small sized) Ben and Jerry chocolate-chip cookie dough and brownie ice cream packs and eat them in the library as we fiercely memorized our courses and spit out essays… This might just be a healthier snack than my first year experience…and won’t leave you with a tummy ache the next day π
Speaking of studying whenever it is time to study all I want to do is bake – procrastinate much? I sometimes find myself in the kitchen baking a cake when I really should be buried in my books. There is something so calming and wonderful about making a cake, cookies, or anything from scratch π Wishing you a wonderful week of studying and working – you might just see another dessert recipe from me this week if my latest essay will ever finish itself !
45 grams dark chocolate (broken up into little pieces; usually one chocolate square = 10 grams) (or 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350ΒΊf or 180ΒΊc.
Put Chia seeds in a small size bowl with water and mix.
Roughly process 2 cups of oats. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of oats (you will have a bit left over).
Put dry ingredients in a medium size bowl (with oat “flour”). Mix.
Put wet ingredients in a large bowl (with chia egg – your chia seeds should have thickened up to a gooey egg like consistency). Whisk together until very smooth and creamy.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until moist dough forms.
Fold in dark chocolate “chips”.
Put in fridge for 30 minutes of more.
Spread into a lightly greased baking pan. Smooth out with a metal spoon.
Bake for 15 -17 minutes (until the top of the bars are slightly golden brown.)
Let sit for 10 minutes and Voila! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional Benefits: High in healthy fats and low in cholesterol π
How do you usually find yourself procrastinating when you really should be doing that important task that needs getting done ?
You guys know that if there are two things I love here at Ceara’s Kitchen it’s quick ‘n easy One Pot Meals and Mexican Food. Combine both of those things and I am one happy cook! This One Pot Mexican Rice is one of my favorite, go-to meals. It’s both a super tasty Mexican dish AND made in just…
I kinda have an obsession with nut butter. I love everything about it – it’s creaminess, nuttiness, and the way that it tastes devilishly good slathered on practically anything. One of my favourite all-time energy boosting snacks is a sweet banana dipped and slathered with silky smooth almond butter. Even though I love almond butter in…
If you know me in any shape or form in real life you know that I am pretty clumsy, a bit uncoordinated and have fallen, on more than one occasion, flat on my face while walking down the street (without wearing high heels #truestory). So as you can imagine, my first time doing yoga was pretty comedic…
Have you ever tried making stuffed artichokes? It is pretty must the tastiest vegetable EVER to stuff in my books. Can we all agree there is something SO much fun about a stuffed veggie – stuffed mushrooms, squash, zucchini…. and now simple and flavorful Stuffed Artichokes! These Stuffed Artichokes make a fun and easy to…
Nothing says I love you on Valentine’s Day like a house filled with the aromas of baked apples, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar. I know that Valentine’s Day is usually a chocolate affair, and believe you-me I L-O-V-E chocolate, but these muffins are the perfect dessert to share with your loved ones on this day of…
Fresh, Spring, Bright, Veggie-filled, Nutritious, Creamy, Delicious <– This Healthy Pasta Primavera is ALL of the above, guys! When I was growing up I hated pasta dishes where you could actually see the veggies. I always asked my mom to blend them up for me so I couldn’t make out the vegetables I was eating. And now, I’m the…
10 Comments
I recently tried CBD gummies from this website https://www.cornbreadhemp.com/products/cbd-sleep-gummies in search the first control and was pleasantly surprised past the results. Initially skeptical, I found that it significantly helped with my dread and sleep issues without any unconcealed side effects. The lubricator was unoppressive to utter, with definite dosage instructions. It had a merciful, earthy grain that was not unpleasant. Within a week, I noticed a marked increase in my all-inclusive well-being, ardour more blasβ and rested. I comprehend the ingenuous approach to wellness CBD offers and plan to at using it.
I made these today, but swapped the chocolate for raisins & chopped nuts, and they’re delicious! So far every one of your recipes has been a total success! Thanks Ceara! π
I have to confess Ceara. You are a genius. You always create healthy alternatives to cakes and cookies without compromising on taste. These oat bars look fabulous. The best thing about them is that they are loaded with chocolate. pinned.
Wow! Thank you so much Hadia <3 Your kind words truly mean a lot to me! Hehe, anything loaded with chocolate is a plus for me π Thanks for the pin!!
I recently tried CBD gummies from this website https://www.cornbreadhemp.com/products/cbd-sleep-gummies in search the first control and was pleasantly surprised past the results. Initially skeptical, I found that it significantly helped with my dread and sleep issues without any unconcealed side effects. The lubricator was unoppressive to utter, with definite dosage instructions. It had a merciful, earthy grain that was not unpleasant. Within a week, I noticed a marked increase in my all-inclusive well-being, ardour more blasβ and rested. I comprehend the ingenuous approach to wellness CBD offers and plan to at using it.
I don’t see the recipe for the oat bars. I need to eat those!! They look so good!
I made these today, but swapped the chocolate for raisins & chopped nuts, and they’re delicious! So far every one of your recipes has been a total success! Thanks Ceara! π
Thank you, Joanne! I am so happy you enjoyed the bars and are loving the recipes π
These look delicious! Do you think I could replace the chia egg with a flax egg?
I haven’t tried these bars with a flax egg but I am sure it would work just fine! Let us know the results if you end up trying it! Happy Baking π
I have to confess Ceara. You are a genius. You always create healthy alternatives to cakes and cookies without compromising on taste. These oat bars look fabulous. The best thing about them is that they are loaded with chocolate. pinned.
Wow! Thank you so much Hadia <3 Your kind words truly mean a lot to me! Hehe, anything loaded with chocolate is a plus for me π Thanks for the pin!!
This looks delicious! I’m always looking for breakfasts I can prepare ahead of time and just grab when I’m heading out in the morning.
Thanks Indira! These are some of my favourite bars to take on the go! π