Oatmeal Bars

Brainy Bellies Fruit & Seed Oatmeal Bars

No sugar, no processed ingredients - just wholesome fruit, oats, and seeds blended into a delicious bar that kids love and parents feel great about. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes!

Servings

12

Ingredients

• 4 bananas

• 1 cups blueberries

• 1 medium apple, cored and chopped (skin on)

• 3 cups quick oats

• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 0.5 cups chia seeds

• 0.5 cups pumpkin seeds

• 0.5 teaspoons cinnamon

Steps

1.Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a pyrex or baking dish that will allow the mixture to spread about 1 inch thick. Set aside.

2

2.Blend the fruit: Add 4 bananas, 1 cups blueberries, and 1 medium apple, cored and chopped (skin on) to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy like a thick smoothie.

3.Add chia seeds, vanilla and cinnamon to the fruit mixture: Pour the fruit mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 0.5 cups chia seeds, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 0.5 teaspoons cinnamon directly into the mixing bowl with the fruit mixture and stir well to combine.

4.Add oats to the mixing bowl: Add 3 cups quick oats to the mixing bowl with the fruit mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

5.Add pumpkin seeds: Fold 0.5 cups pumpkin seeds into the mixing bowl last, stirring gently until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

6.Pour and spread: Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread evenly so it is about 1 inch thick. Cover tightly with foil.

7.Bake: Bake covered at 375°F for 15 minutes 15:00. Remove the foil and check - if the bars still look too wet in the center, cover again and bake for an additional 5 minutes until set.

8.Cool and cut: Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars. This helps them hold their shape. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

These bars are naturally sweetened with fruit - no added sugar needed! Any banana works great here - they don't need to be super ripe. Leaving the apple skin on adds extra prebiotic fiber for your child's gut microbiome. The cinnamon adds a warm, cozy flavor and has natural anti-inflammatory properties that are great for gut health. Chia seeds provide omega-3s and prebiotic fiber, while pumpkin seeds are packed with zinc and magnesium to support your child's immune system and brain development. Did you know that one cup of quick oats contains approximately 4 grams of fiber? That fiber feeds the good bacteria in your child's gut, keeping their microbiome happy and their brain sharp. These bars make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast for busy school mornings!