For some reason I’ve been on an oatmeal kick lately. I’ve been having oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning and craving all kinds of oat-y desserts (oatmeal cookies, raspberry oatmeal cookie bars, no-bake nutella cookies, and many others!). These chocolate chip oatmeal bars are somewhere between indulgent dessert and healthy breakfast. They’re certainly not as healthy as eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, but they have just enough sugar and chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth if you’re wanting a healthier dessert. Of course, you could always add more chocolate ;). I thought they were best straight from the oven when the chocolate chips were still melted – think gooey, chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. So the next day, I just zapped them in the microwave for a few seconds =). Enjoy!
Healthier Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
1/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips ( you can add more or less to taste)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8 inch square pan with nonstick spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Add oil, egg, applesauce, vanilla, and molasses and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Press dough into prepared pan. Bake in preheat oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into 16 squares.
Nutritional Info (per 1/16th): 138 calories; 5.6 g fat; 20.5 g carbohydrates; 1.2 g fiber; 2.1 g protein.
