Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Snack Bar

There are times when I just want a quick little snack of something sweet and satisfying. A cookie sounds too unhealthy, and crackers just aren't going to cut it. That's where these bars come in. They are what I would call somewhat healthy as bars go. There are oats, whole wheat flour, walnuts, and a little chocolate of course. They are easy to put together and the perfect little snack when you are needing a little extra sustenance to get you to dinner. They are also really yummy as an accompaniment to a good cup of coffee. So whatever your need, these bars are likely to fill it, give them a try!

The recipe calls for these bars to be made in two loaf pans. I don't know if they could be made into one bigger pan or not, I'd have to experiment with that, but it's a possibility. Like I said, these are easy to put together and can be cut into any size you want. I think I cut them into 24 small pieces, the perfect size for me for a small snack, but any size will do.

The bar by itself is not overly sweet, so the chocolate chips are in my opinion, a must. You need that for a little extra sweetness. And while I've never been a huge fan of nuts in my breads and bars, I think the walnuts add a lot to this recipe. They make the bars hearty and nutty and give them a little extra sustenance. But with, or whiteout the nuts if you'd rather, these bars are sure to please.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Snack Bar
Adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 cup oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup milk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips
• 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two 4 1/2 by 8 1/2-inch loaf pans and line with a parchment sling if desired.

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Beat together the peanut butter, sugar, and oil with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then, whisk in the milk by hand. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, saving a handful of each to sprinkle on top. Pour the batter into the two prepared pans. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining chocolate and nuts.

Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Using an offset spatula, loosen the bars from the pan and turn onto a rack to cool completely. When cool, cut each pan into 8 bars. If you want smaller servings, cut each bar in half. Store in the freezer.