Baked Peanut Butter & Jam Oat Bars

Here’s a new twist to oatmeal for breakfast! With a little planning, you can bake your oatmeal with peanut butter into a bar dolloped with your favourite jam – now we’re talking! These bars make a great grab ‘n’ go brekky.

Makes 16 Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. golden flax meal
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour)
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup natural crunchy or smooth peanut butter
• ¾ cup non-dairy milk
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup of your favourite jam

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper but cutting two strips both 8-inches wide and crossing them in the pan to create clean edges. Trim the excess overhang, if needed.
3. Combine the flax meal and water and set aside to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, coconut sugar, tapioca flour, baking powder and sea salt.
5. In a large liquid measuring cup, or another mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, non-dairy milk, and vanilla with the thickened flax meal mixture until smooth. Add this to the mixing bowl of dry ingredients and fold together until fully combined.
6. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking pan all the way to the edges. Take a dough cutter or knife and lightly score or mark every 2-inches across in each direction, creating the indented lines for 16 square bars. Do not cut through the pan of oat bars at this stage.
7. Dollop about ½ teaspoon of jam on top of each square and gently press it with the back of the teaspoon into the top of each bar.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the bars look soft and raised. Cool in the baking pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before lifting out by the parchment paper edges and placing onto the wire rack. Slice bars where you made the scores.
9. Cool completely before storing leftovers in the fridge. You can warm slightly in the microwave for 30 seconds before eating. Consume within 7 days.

Nutrition facts per bar: Calories 331; protein 13 g; fat 11 g; carbs 64 g.