Many, many mornings I wake up and think, man, I only have time for something quick. What do I have? Hmmmm (rummaging through my pantry and fridge) NOTHING.
Alright, egg whites it is…again…Who else is tired of this morning routine? What might be your other go-to’s?
As I was searching around Pinterest (as you will so often find me doing) I was trying to find some ways to get some more balanced breakfasts into my week. And I wanted something with variety. So I went to work, and found this gem.
We all know breakfast is the “most important meal of the day”, but what is really important is what ingredients go into your breakfast. I truly believe oatmeal is one of the healthiest foods to add into a recipe, not only for its nutritional properties, but it’s a great filler upper, and pretty tasteless. Oatmeal is a great source of whole grains as well. One thing I found particularly awesome about this bar, is it’s gluten free, so if you feel like you are doomed from having any fun, delicious sweet treats, my friend you are so wrong!
The ingredient list of these bars is crammed with healthy whole clean super foods. These ingredients have some high nutritional content and associated health benefits. Oatmeal, Almonds, Blueberries, Pistachios, Banana, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Honey and Cinnamon all make the list, so you know when you are eating these bars you are feeding your body the best. Helping to fight disease, build muscle, and satisfying your morning cravings.
There is a great benefit to this bar that I haven’t shared with you yet. You can make so many different varieties to this bar!
Blueberry alternatives:
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Cranberries
- Grapes
Almond alternatives:
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pine nuts
Honey Alternatives:
- Agave
- Coconut nectar
- Maple syrup
You can literally mix and match to your liking, and make a pretty awesome bar for you and your family to enjoy. It actually surprised me how little I needed of this bar to feel full with the whey protein! And truth be told, with the vanilla whey protein, it actually would have probably been okay to cut the amount of honey needed for the topping in half. Saves some calories from sugar. #WIN
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 bananas
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 1 cup fresh organic blueberries
- ¼ cup of whole milk (you can use any milk you have aside from skim)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Line 9 x 9 baking pan with parchment paper, lightly grease with coconut oil
- Add all ingredients in to food processor until completely combined and wet, this may take several minutes.
- Pour into prepared pan and smooth out with off set spatula until evenly spread.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Combine ingredients in medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Removing pan from oven, spread topping evenly over and lightly press down into base.
- Bake an additional 15 minutes
No nutritional information this week, as there are many different alternatives.
These posts are going to continue coming to you weekly. If you have a request for a recipe you want a healthy spin on, diet fads or programs you want some insight on, need ideas for traveling or quick go-to’s or have a fun recipe you want to share, contact Coach Jen at jennifer@appliedfitnstg.wpenginepowered.com and let her know what you think!
