Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

This recipe is the first one that I've made post foot surgery.  It's an easy recipe, but it took a toll on me, and I know I need a little bit more time before trying much more baking or cooking!

I've made this recipe once before.  The first time I made half the batch plain thinking that my toddler would eat it (nope) and the other half was for me but I didn't include the chocolate chips.  This time I made the entire batch the same way with all the add-ins.

I really like this recipe.  It's fairly easy to make and it's delicious! It's also adaptable (plain or any add-ins you want!).  This makes a really good breakfast to go.  However, my toddler took one bite and spit it out.  A texture thing maybe?  I'm convinced there wasn't a chocolate chip in that bite.

Adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Makes 32 squares

Ingredients:
2 c oats
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 c milk (I used skim)
1/4 c peanut butter
1/4 c canola oil
1 egg
3 T brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries (I diced these since I thought my son would be eating it).

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 375F.  Mix the oats, flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl.  Beat oil, peanut butter, vanilla, and sugar together in medium bowl.  Beat in egg.  Add milk and stir.  Add nuts, dried cranberries.  Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Stir to incorporate.  Add chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into 2 greased loaf pans (9x3 or similar).  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

When done, use knife to separate bar from pan.  Let cool on rack.  Store in refrigerator.