Recipe: Sesame Oat Bars

Making your own protein bars is economical – and easy if you use a silicone bar pan! These bars contain peanut butter combined with whole oats and sesame seeds.

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups organic rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Makes 8 bars

Ingredient Notes

• rolled oats: whole oats will provide a better texture than instant or quick cooking oats
• brown rice syrup: substitute with light corn syrup
• peanut butter: use any type of nut butter

Pro tip: using a silicone bar mold is highly recommended. The individual bars won’t crumble and are much easier to remove after baking.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
• Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until the oats are cut into small pieces. 
• Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet until very lightly browned. 
• Mix the oats, sesame seeds and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Heat the coconut oil just enough to liquify it. Add the brown rice syrup and peanut butter. Blend well.
• Pour the liquid mixture into the oat mixture and stir to combine. Use your hands to fully incorporate the ingredients (wet your hands first to prevent excessive sticking).
• Use either a silicone bar baking dish or a glass 8’’x8” baking pan coated lightly with cooking spray. 
• Spread mixture evenly, pressing down firmly with a spatula or your hands (place plastic wrap over the mixture first) until evenly distributed. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until slightly browned at the edges. 
• Cool for about 20 minutes then release the bars from the pan.
• Store in the freezer until ready to use.

Nutrition info: calories 303; fat 14g; cholesterol 0mg; sodium 195mg; carbohydrates 38g; protein 6g