Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chip Oatbars Recipe

Start those chia eggs first (2tb chia mixed with 5tb water) in a separate cup so they can gel. (I started to write that first, but then it was hard to incorporate with the other wet ingredients within the flow chart.) If you have a large pyrex pouri… — Start those chia eggs first (2tb chia mixed with 5tb water) in a separate cup so they can gel. (I started to write that first, but then it was hard to incorporate with the other wet ingredients within the flow chart.)
If you have a large pyrex pouring/measuring cup, you can handle the rest of the wet ingredients within in, and save yourself some dishes. Start with the cranberries (they are FROZEN hence the microwaving. If you have fresh, you could skip this step) and follow the directions above.
Chocolate Chips are optional and thrown in for “treat” purposes. Bananas, blueberries, strawberries (really any berry) are good alternate additions.
This is not a very sweet treat because we err on the side of moderation in House Cappello, but bounce up the sweetness per your own tastes.

**ALLERGIC TO NUTS?**: just use a cup of oatflour (or whatever other whole-grain flour you love). The almond meal isn’t even needed, we just use to throw it in to everything. These days we save money and just use oatflour for everything . :-)

1.13.2020

Oats are packed with: protein (26g in a cup!), minerals, and beta-glucan (a heart-healthy soluble dietary fiber that boosts your immune system.)

However, making oats every morning for Q was a waste of time and natural gas (oh how I dream of induction), so I started testing out various oatbar batches. (There’s a great one with a whole hidden zucchini in it, but we’ll need to wait until next year for that one to come back into rotation.)

This version is a tried-and-true favorite and is requested daily. It takes about 20 minutes (tops) to get everything mixed together, 25 minutes in the oven, makes enough to cover a whole week of Cappello munching, and is just 30 seconds of microwaving when pulled out of fridge storage. :-)

Q eats some version of an oatbar for breakfast most mornings and they are a nutritious punch of protein (over 12g in a 1 cup slice), flavonoids (between the cranberry and super dark chocolate, you’re getting an anti-inflammatory mouth celebration), and that cranberry-and-chocolate pairing is giving you iron and the Vitamin C to absorb it.

What you need for a batch: (choose maple or honey per your preference, and if you cut it out completely the cranberry and chocolate add enough flavor that you won’t miss it), 2 cups whole oats, 1 cup almond, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup … — What you need for a batch: (choose maple or honey per your preference, and if you cut it out completely the cranberry and chocolate add enough flavor that you won’t miss it), 2 cups whole oats, 1 cup almond, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup of cranberries, 1 tbl apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup sunflower oil (or any vegetable oil), (1tsp extract: optional), 2 chia eggs, 2 cups oatmilk, and extra dark chocolate chips.

What the heck is a chia egg and why do that instead of eggs?

A “chia egg” = 1 tbl chia + 2.5 tbl water. Chia seeds are incredibly healthy and a great egg-substitute in baked goods.

Plant-based diets are better for the environment, eggs have an environmental footprint, and unless you’re sure of their conditions and the farmer caring for them (like our kind-hearted CSA and their happy hens): mass-produced eggs have an empathy wallop to boot.

Additionally, I come from a family of heart disease (have a grandparent that died of a heart attack, a parent who’s had 2, and my kinfolk are on coronary medications) so I limit animal inflammation and aim for the healthiest alternatives I can.

With chia seeds, you’re getting a bounty of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, minerals (like iron and calcium!), and dietary fiber.