Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

My husband recently started a new shift at work that requires him to leave the house at 5am a few times a week. While he doesn't mind getting up early, in his rush to get out the door, he'll often skip breakfast on these days - which totally throws his day. We typically have muffins or scones around the house, but those aren't exactly a full breakfast...so I started brainstorming something to make that would be quick, filling, and nutritious. These breakfast bars fit the bill, and are easy for him to grab on his way out the door!

The oatmeal base means that these are filling and give you a good amount of fiber. And the add-ins mean that you can jazz them up any way you'd like - they can be made with super-healthy dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, or you can add in chocolate chips or substitute jam for the honey if you want a sweeter or more fruity-flavored twist. This is a recipe that definitely invites experimentation!

Dense, chewy, and packed with flavor

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
*2 cups cooked oatmeal, cooled
*1 TB unsalted butter, melted
*1 egg, beaten
*2 TB all purpose flour
*1/2 tsp vanilla
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/4 cup honey
*optional add - ins; I added sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, and raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare an 8"x8" square cake pan by either buttering it or lining it with parchment paper.

Mix oatmeal, melted butter, and egg together in a medium bowl. Stir in flour, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and honey until combined. Add any add-ins that you like - any kind of nut, seed, or dried fruit would work well, so play around with it!

Bake for about 55 minutes (I know, doesn't that seem like forever? This is how long it took in my oven, but as soon as they are firm and slightly browned, they are ready to go). Let cool and cut into bars.

Makes about 8 bars.

Grab one on your way out the door!