Oat-rn't you glad I made these?

That title is ridiculous. But now you know what the main ingredient is in this one and you can either say "Ew! Oats! No thanks," and stop reading now. Or, you can say "Stace! Tell me more!" Which I shall now do. Read on, fellow oat lovers.

I wanted an alternative to cold cereal, eggs or toast for breakfast; something I could make quickly in the evening that would feed me for a few days. This is also a super snack for work, or just sitting at home with a cup of tea...and it has just 5 base ingredients. Bring on the peanut butter oat bars! 

You need: 

~ 4 cups of rolled oats 

~ 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 

~ 1/2 cup of slivered almonds 

~ 1/2 cup honey 

~ 1 cup peanut butter, melted

Then add in whatever you fancy: Dried fruits, chocolate chips, different seeds or nuts, ground flax...the options are endless! I used Craisins, and I wanted to add some chocolate too but was surprised to discover that my baking cupboard was bare. Doesn't everyone have chocolate chips, like, always on hand?! Apparently not. Dammit. So I halved and threw in a few chocolate-covered espresso beans, because I'm crazy like that. Not many, so they will only turn up in a few of the bars once cut. (those suckers are expensive!) *Note: I got the majority of my ingredients, including the sweet beans, at Bulk Barn. That store should give me discounts for the amount I plug the place. 

Combine the oats, seeds, and nuts in a large bowl. 

Pour in your honey and mix well, then add in the melted peanut butter and mix again. You might need to get into this with your hands to make sure it is all combined. 

Quick tip: BEFORE you get your hands in the sticky mess, fill your sink with a few inches of warm soapy water so you can dip in that after without coating your taps, counter, and anything else in the general vicinity with goo. 

Press the mix into a greased 9x13" pan. I lined mine with parchment paper and then used cooking spray on that. Overduing it? Mmmmaybe. But I'm a bit paranoid when it comes to my baking sticking, resulting in it falling apart or me throwing the dish out in anger because it's impossible to get clean. And then I'm sad. And sad is not how one should feel while playing in the kitchen. 

Pop it into a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Say hello again to Lil' Red. 

 I zig-zag-drizzled a bit more honey over it after I took it from the oven. Let cool for a bit on the counter, then pop it in the fridge to harden before cutting. 

Give them a-go and let me know what you did to yours! 

 Get baking, 

 Stace. 

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