Made with creamy peanut butter and sweet chocolate chips, these Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars will be a hit with all of your friends.
I've been wanting to share a certain aspect about living in China as a young American woman for a while, but have been scared to come across as the most vain person in the world. But I figure it's a big part of living in China and you guys might be interested to hear about it, so why not? I trust that you guys know my heart and know that I'm just sharing my experience.
So, as most of you could guess, the majority of Chinese people have very similar features. Black hair, dark oval eyes, slender bodies, pale skin, etc. They're beautiful! I'm constantly staring at them, amazed at how every single person is either beautiful or so adorable that I want to wrap them in a hug! Where we live--in a smaller city not on the East coast, there is even less variety in features because there is not as much diversity in the foreign presence here.
As you could envision, I--a taller, white, light-haired, light-eyed, young American woman--stand out like a sore thumb. I'm stared at everywhere I go. This is the case for almost any foreigner in our city, male or female, young or old! As foreigner in a very Chinese city, we are constantly hearing people yell or whisper, "Foreigner!" out of curious excitement. It makes making new friends really easy!
But one thing I wasn't quite ready for was the amount of compliments I would receive on a daily basis from people, many of which are total strangers to me. Chinese people, from what I've gathered, are very open and blunt about outer appearance. It's totally normal to tell your friend their fat or skinny, or to comment on the appearance of a random stranger. They're just descriptive words. So as a relatively fit, American woman I'm often receiving compliments like, "Wow, your body is so healthy!" "Your so slim!" "You are so beautiful!" "Your nose is so tall and your eyes are so big!" (yes, people really do comment on the size of my nose. Thankfully having a tall nose is beautiful her!)
In addition to my outer appearance, our younger Chinese friends often comment on my character and my relationship with Brett, usually when we host them for a meal at our house. Some of the new Chinese words I've learned while hosting people at our house need sentences to translate and they are as follows:
xian hui: (of a woman) virtuous; genial and prudent; perfect in her traditional roles
xian qi liang mu: a good wife and loving mother
lang cai nu mao: a talented man and a beautiful woman; ideal couple
When I hear words or phrases like these for the first time, I often don't know what they mean and have to look them up in the dictionary. I'm always so shocked with the compliments I receive and never feel like I actually live up to them. I will say, I've found Chinese people to be more vocal in their compliments, so I'm sure complimenting your host is a very normal, expected thing.
Either way, the compliments I receive here in China are much more numerous and deep than those I received in America. It's weird and I often don't know how to feel about it. Hopefully it won't go to my head! One thing I have realized is that I am being watched. People notice what I wear, what I do, how I live, how I treat my husband and friends, etc. It's cool to have a positive impact just by living here, but I want to constantly evaluate the message I'm sending to the locals in our city.
Have any of you traveled to a foreign country and had a similar experience?
I'd love to hear your story!
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
In other news, I've made a batch of these Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars multiple times in one week...they're that good. I usually don't worry about making Gluten Free baked goods (I'm trying to make sure I can always enjoy bread!), but because I used oatmeal and peanut flour, these delicious bars just so happen to be gluten free for any of you GF readers out there!
They're sweetened with maple syrup and mini chocolate chips and have two kinds of peanut butter in them, making them extra rich and delicious. They take me about 10 minutes to mix together and only 15 or so minutes to bake, so you can enjoy these Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars in less than 30 minutes! Although, they hold together better once cooled.
If you love oatmeal bars, try out these Strawberry Jam Oatmeal Bars or these Apple Pie Oatmeal Bars!
Please let me know if you make these oatmeal bars and what you think! And if you love peanut butter in your baked goods, you need to try out these vegan peanut butter blossom cookies! Leave a comment down below or tag me at #theconscientiouseater on Instagram so I can see your creation!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free quick oats
- ¾ cup peanut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup mini-chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F and line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl prepare your flax egg by whisking together 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside to thicken.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, cooled coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the quick oats, peanut flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the sticky batter into your prepared baking dish and spread until smooth and even.
- Bake the bars for 15-18 minutes or until starting to turn golden brown along the edges.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before removing and slicing in to 16 squares.
Marian Hartland says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I baked this today, I exchanged almond flour for the peanut flour and turned out lovely. will definatly bake again and again. Adding this to my favorites.
Faith VanderMolen says
So so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe Marian! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Liv @ Healthy Liv says
I absolutely love hearing your stories about life in China and love when you incorporate those into your recipe posts! You don't sound vain at all. I love that people there give compliments more often. And these bars look so good, Faith!
Faith says
This is so good to hear Liv, cause I feel like when I share life stories in recipe posts I always have the weirdest segues haha! Thanks for always being so encouraging!
yo momma says
I was 14 or 15 and my sister was about 12 when we went to Mexico City. This was back in the 60's and so being light skin and having something other than black hair was a novelty to the citizens. My sister's strawberry blonde hair was especially intriguing. People (mostly boys around our age) would try to reach their hands through our tour bus to touch us. It was slightly uncomfortable. We had never thought of ourselves as being different or as people who would cause a commotion like we did back then in Mexico City.
Faith says
So fun to hear that story Mom! I can definitely see how people would love Aunt DeeDee's hair. I want to hear more about your travels growing up!
oscar says
Last year, my Viet Namese friend told me that I was whiter and fatter than the year before when he saw me. The former is a compliment, whilst the latter, not so much 😮
Faith says
Haha! yeah, comments on weight is so common, but just normal. Hey, at least you'll hopefully not get skin cancer:)
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
Than you for sharing that little tidbit about life in China--totally not vain at all! I find these cultural differences fascinating and there is nothing like hearing about them firsthand. That would be very odd at first and uncomfortable I imagine. I feel like in the US we worry too much about every little thing we say--the negative but also the positive--and tend to hold back even compliments like that sometimes. The willingness to just voice those sorts of kind thoughts and compliments is lovely. As is the golden brown delicious color on these bars (terrible segue lol). But truly these sounds and look delicious!! The sort of dessert appropriate for just about any occasion 🙂
Faith says
Thanks Natalie! Living here really does make me want to be more vocal in complementing people. It's just a kind thing to do when done in honesty. And I love your creative segues haha!
Cher says
Can I sub almond flour for the peanut flour?
Faith says
Hi Cher! I'm not sure. The bars wouldn't be as peanut-y and they might be more crumbly, but you can try! If you do, make sure you allow the bars to cool completely before cutting them so that they might hold together better. Let me know if you end up using almond flour and how it works for you!
Dom says
What if anything can you substitute for peanut flower as I don't have this?
Faith VanderMolen says
Hi Dom! Thanks for your question. Unfortunately I haven't tested out any substitutions myself, so I can't say for sure. I would think, however, that all-purpose flour would work. You'll just lose some of the peanut butter flavor. You may also want to start with just 1/2 cup flour and add more if needed. I hope you find something that works for you! You may also like these healthier peanut butter oatmeal cookies which don't use peanut flour!
Chris says
HI Faith,
Nice to read your article.
I live in Canada and didn't need to travel for people to comment on my appearance.
I'm originally from Scotland and have been to some other countries in Europe as well as the U.S.
I am male, have a Scottish accent, white hair and blue eyes. Very often when I go into a store, sometimes the cashier will say, usually a female cashier. She will say" keep talking", I look at her kind of strange and say, "keep talking about what" She would say, "just keep talking, I love listening to your accent". Another time I went into a gas station, the East Indian lady (young girl) said, "wow! do you ever have beautiful blue eyes" Then many, many, many people will comment on my white hair. Your hair is so white, I tell them, that's what happens when you have four children, I've earned every one of them.Well, when you're a guy and people give you well intentioned comments, sometimes it's embarrassing. Especially when there are other people in the line up. Then as I walk through the store, I notice people looking at my hair, I just smile. That's not all, I haven't even spoken about my muscular physique yet, just kidding. Don't want to get too big headed. As a 62 year old, I eat healthy, work out every day, keep in shape and pleased with the way I look. Lol
Faith says
So cool to hear your experience Chris! Thanks for sharing! It's amazing how this can happen to anyone anywhere now a days. And if you have a Scottish accent I don't blame the cashier for wanting to hear more. It's one of my favorites! Thanks again for saying hi and sharing some stories with us.
Karissa says
Where do you buy your maple syrup (taobao link??) and do you make all of your plant based milk or have you found a way to buy it here? I make almond milk and oatmilk sometimes but it's so time consuming. Thanks!
Faith says
Yes, I get maple syrup off Taobao using this link (https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.JUNY9W&id=37592943691&_u=72egc2eq00ef) It's definitely a splurge. I also have a soy milk machine that I love! So I just use homemade soy milk instead of buying it. I have a Joyoung brand and love it and I also got it off taobao!
Karissa says
Thank you sweet much for the tips. I had no idea a soymilk maker was a thing. Next on the shopping list!!!!
Faith says
It will change your like Karissa! You can even make peanut, bean, etc milk in it. I love it! I hope you find one that works well for you. My machine has already paid for itself the amount I use it:)