Strawberry Chia Oatmeal Bars Recipe

Oat bars have become an increasingly popular snack in recent years, and for good reason. These small but satisfying treats can be an on-the-go snack, a breakfast, or a dessert. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for strawberry chia oatmeal bars and says, "I love the idea of a portable snack but I try and avoid processed bars because of the added sugar, additives, and filler ingredients. These bars are so easy to make and are full of wholesome ingredients. I think they're the perfect thing to eat before an early morning run when I want something quick that will give me energy, in between meals when I need a little something, or even for dessert when I'm craving something a little sweet. Oats and chia seeds are both high in fiber, minerals, and protein and they taste so incredible in these bars."

To make this recipe, you'll first need some flax seeds and chia seeds. "These are usually sold either with the grains and flours or in the supplement section of the store. Flax seeds are sold either whole or ground so you can either buy them already ground or buy them whole and grind them yourself in a small grinder," Hahn explains. Then, grab some rolled oats, almond flour, oat flour, salt, coconut oil, maple syrup, an orange, and frozen strawberries. You can easily make your own oat flour by just putting some rolled oats through the food processor, or you can use quinoa or brown rice flour if you have one of those on hand.

To start off, go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 F. Then, in a small bowl, combine the ground flax and water. Stir and set aside. Grab a medium pot and dump in the frozen strawberries. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes. As the strawberries start to soften, mash them with a potato masher or wooden mallet. Remove them from the heat and add in the chia seeds, orange zest, and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Stir well and set aside. It will magically thicken up.

Our tasty bars are going to have a delicious oat crust and oat topping. To make this, grab a large bowl and combine the oats, both types of flour, and salt. Then add the remaining maple syrup and the coconut oil. We're going to split this mixture in half so lay the mixture out on a cutting board and form it into a log. Cut it in half and reserve one half for the topping. Put half back into the bowl and add the flax mixture. 

"The bottom crust needs a little more bonding than the top crumbly part, so our flax and water mixture, which acts like an egg, will give us the added moisture to hold the crust together," Hahn explains. Once you have added in the flax mixture, spread this into a square 8-inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.

When the crust is done, spoon out the chia jam on top of the crust into an even layer. Then pop the baking dish back into the oven for 20 minutes or until the top looks golden brown. Let it cool for one hour before cutting it into 9 squares. If you will be serving these for dessert, you can add a strawberry slice on top to dress them up. "Once they're cut, I like to store them in the fridge and they will last well for up to a week. Or you can stick them into the freezer and pull one out before you head out the door as a snack for later." These oat bars are so versatile you may never buy the pre-made versions again!