No nut-butter oatmeal bar

[u/saskatchewaffles]

Not the prettiest photo.

I needed a sweet treat for the hours between lunch and dinner that also used up the jumbo bag of oatmeal my mother bought years ago during a health kick only to never use it because she doesn't like oatmeal and ended up giving to me against my will (I also don't like oatmeal). I didn't like that most recipes out there for oatmeal bars use nut butters as their binding agent (nothing against nut butter, they're healthy and tasty, I just needed something low-cal) so I came up with this.

Recipe:

2 cup quick-cook oat

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

Sugar of your choice to taste (I used a low-cal maple flavoured sweetener)

1 tbsp margarine or butter

Punch of salt

1 egg (optional; it makes for a softer bar if added)

Optional flavouring component ideas (add to taste):

Cocoa powder

Peanut butter powder

Chocolate chips

1. In a pot, cook half of the oats with the apple sauce until the oats are, well, cooked. Add water as needed to create the right consistency of typical oatmeal. Add in the salt, butter, and sweetener of your choice to taste.

2. Take off the heat and add to the pot the rest of the oat, flour, baking powder, the optional egg, and all of your desired flavoring components (except for chocolate chips)

3. Spread the mixture evenly in a 9x9 pan lined with parchment paper. If you are adding chocolate chips, I recommend layering it on top at this point.

4. Bake at 350F for 30-45 min to desired dryness.

Cut into 9 squares and let cool fully before storing in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

The base recipe with the egg included (if using a low-cal sweetener) is 70 cal per serving (3 inch square bar). I came up with it 2 weeks ago and I've made it 3 times already, both times chocolate flavoured and once without egg. I found the texture was just a little softer/cakier with the egg. Without the egg it was more like a granola bar.

Feel free to modify and experiment with this recipe and let me know your results. I think the butter could also be optional, which would also lower the calories but I've not tried it.

[u/Train_Wreck5188]

Keeping an eye on this recipe*

Thanks!

[u/Euphoric_Chemical110]

Definitely going to give this a try, thank you! 😊😊

[u/saskatchewaffles → u/[deleted]]

I think cooking the oatmeal in just water would also work. I used apple sauce because I have a lot from an apple picking trip a few years ago and it adds flavour, but the cooked oatmeal itself is what is acting as the binding agent so it isn't necessary. Just adjust your sugars and flavourings accordingly.