Yesterday I had a day off and...I woke up at 4:30...A.M! I seriously don't remember the last time I slept in past 8 A.M, which I'm sure is a statement that makes many of you cringe. While I LOVE mornings, I really would like to remember what it feels like to sleep until I'm completely sleeped-out (if that's even a thing).
I used to pride myself in my ability to sleep anywhere under any conditions. I've traveled all over the world (check out my new International Travel and Cuisine Page!), slept on beds that felt like rocks, woke up in a pool of sweat, and had to deal with crazy jet lag.
That was then.
Now, if the temperature isn't perfect, if there's any light in the room, or if Brett gets up, I'll wake up and have trouble falling back asleep.
The scariest part of all is that my Mom got insomnia in her early 20s. I'm in my early 20s people!
Pray for me.
So what does all this sleep talk have to do with Oatmeal Bars?
Nothing.
Sorry. But since I've got you here, let me tell you how amazing these bars are. They're full of good-for-you ingredients and are great for a quick snack on the go. The middle layer is a creamy, rich peanut butter banana filling made from just that: peanut butter and bananas!
It's so satisfying knowing every ingredient that goes into your granola bars AND being able to pronounce them. I never used to look at ingredients labels. I had no idea how many weird ingredients are in simple granola bars like Chewy or Nature Valley. Even Clif Bars, which I always deemed healthy, could be the worst of them all! Check out the nutrition label (and its multitude of ingredients) if you haven't already. Instead, make my Homemade Clif Bars.
Then compare them to these Coconut Oatmeal Bars!!
📖 Recipe
Coconut Oatmeal Bars with Peanut Butter Banana Filling
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup almonds chopped
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS:
- 1 banana mashed (a little over ⅓ cup)
- 5 tablespoons coconut melted oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup agave or honey
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
PEANUT BUTTER BANANA FILLING:
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 ripe banana
Instructions
- Line a 8x8-inch dish with plastic wrap and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is completely combined.
- To make the filling, blend the peanut butter and banana in a food processor until fully combined and smooth.
- Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of your lined 8x8 baking dish. Press down firmly until everything is smooth and firm. Spread the peanut butter banana filling mixture evenly over the oatmeal layer. Carefully pour the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the filling and press down until smooth and firm. Make sure you press hard so that when the bars set in the fridge they'll stick together!
- Cover the pan and refrigerate for a couple of hours until set. Cut into 9 (or 12) bars. Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap for easy grab and go bars.
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
Love this recipe!!!
Faith says
Thanks Sam! My husband and I love them!
Mandy says
I made these yesterday and WOW they are SO good! 🙂 I will definitely be making them again! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Faith says
That's music to my ears Mandy! I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks for letting me know:)
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Faith this looks delicious- pinning, winning and grinning.
Faith says
Glad I could make you smile today, Arman:) Hopefully you'll still be smiling after you eat one!!
Oscar says
Sehr gut!
Me too. Wake up between 04:00-04:30 hrs. Have a cup of coffee, juice a green veggie drink, and hit the gym. But, I go to sleep between 20:00-20:30 hrs. 🙂 The gym in NYC opens around 05:00 hrs, or a run by the East River. It is perfekt. The city that never sleeps...
Europe's much different.
Faith says
Wow that's dedication! My ideal hours are to be asleep by 10 PM and get up at 6. And coffee + a green juice = a winning combination!
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine says
These look so good! I love the idea of a peanut butter and banana filling.
And I also can't remember the last time I slept past 8am:)
Faith says
Thanks Lisa! I'm really happy with how they turned out. You should try them! And I'm glad to know I'm not alone in the early-to-rise group:)