Recently I’ve been trying to incorporate more protein into my breakfast.

After hitting the gym in the morning, I would ideally sit down for a meal of eggs and toast or a bowl of oatmeal – something with a good amount of protein and healthy carbs to help me refuel. But unfortunately, I find that I’m on the run most mornings and end up grabbing a protein bar instead. While the protein certainly fills me up, I don’t love all the preservatives, additives, and highly processed ingredients the bar contains. So I decided to make my own healthier version of a breakfast bar that I can take on the go.

These baked oatmeal breakfast bars are incredibly healthy – with a base consisting mostly of oats and peanut butter. They boast almost 10g protein per serving (more if you eat two 😉 ), with 7g healthy fats and only 4g sugar. They are lightly sweetened with banana, although you can add a handful of dried fruit (or chocolate chips if you have a sweet-tooth like me!) to sweeten them up.

Next week, skip the processed protein bar and grab one of these instead!

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

• 1 3/4c oat flour (or 2c oats blended)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 egg whites
• 2 bananas
• 2/3c peanut butter
• 1/2 c milk
• Optional add-ins (ie. chocolate chips, walnuts, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine egg whites, vanilla, peanut butter, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Add oat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix until combined. Fold in any desired add-ins, such as chocolate chips or nuts. Pour in an 8×8 metal pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 32-35 minutes.

Store at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag.

Nutrition information calculated using MyFitnessPal. Calculated using 2% milk.