Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bars for #SundaySupper #ChooseDreams

You know what time it is. You don’t even have to look at the clock. It is when you feel drained and need something to keep you going. For me that time is 3 o’clock in the afternoon. I wake up early and go at full speed until that time. An organic granola bar is what I usually have for a snack. However lately it seems lacking or I’m bored with the same old thing. I decided to make my own to incorporate the flavors I wanted. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bars is now what I grab when I need a little boost.

Deciding on the name of the bars was difficult. They have so much packed into them; oats, quinoa, raisins, peanuts, coconut, chocolate, peanut butter, and honey. Quinoa seems to be big on healthy trends these days yet it doesn’t have quite the appeal as oatmeal. Oatmeal raisin is a popular combination too. The flavor of peanut butter in these bars is greater than raisin though. So I settled on peanut butter oatmeal and called it a day.

How are the Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars? They are soft with a bit of crunch from the toasted quinoa. The softness also makes them break apart easily. I had to push a few of them back together as I was cutting them. A short time in the fridge helped to firm them up. Peanut butter is the prevalent flavor with a blend of all the other ingredients in the background.

Exercise is important to stay healthy and strong. Two things I do are yard work and gardening. Using the equipment (edger, string trimmer, mower, blower, hedge trimmer) works out the muscles and is a load bearing activity. Pushing the mower, especially on my steep front yard, gets the heart rate up and is good for an aerobic activity. Planting, fertilizing, weeding, and watering plants gets me off the couch and moving around in the great outdoors.

How do you stay fit and healthy? Do you exercise? Do you make good food choices and nutritious meals for your family? Sunday Supper has partnered with American Family Insurance to share recipes that are a part of a healthy fit lifestyle. Scroll down to see a list with links to recipes and check out AmFam’s Health and Fitness Pinterest board for more inspiration. Special thanks to Denise of Run DMT for hosting this event.

More on American Family Insurance: You can follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, and their website.

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bars

These healthy peanut butter oatmeal energy bars are loaded with quinoa, raisins, coconut, chocolate, peanuts, and honey for a delicious snack that fuels you too.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Author Renee

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup golden raisins coarsley chopped
• 1/2 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts chopped
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
• 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper with a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides.
2. Spread oats and quinoa evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
3. Place oats, quinoa, raisins, peanuts, coconut, flaxseed meal, and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Stir together peanut butter, honey, oil, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Boil for 1 minute.
5. Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and stir to coat.
6. Press mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in the pan.
7. Use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
8. Cut into 1- X 4-inch bars. If any bars break apart, press them back together. Chill bars to firm up.

Recipe Notes

These healthy peanut butter oatmeal energy bars are loaded with quinoa, raisins, coconut, chocolate, peanuts, and honey for a delicious fueling snack.

Recipe adapted from one in Cooking Light magazine April 2014 edition.

Are you looking for healthy recipes? Take a look at these by talented Sunday Supper contributors and visit each one for more tips on how you can have a fit lifestyle:

Get Up and Go Power Breakfasts

• Get Up and Go Mocha Breakfast Smoothie by The Foodie Army Wife
• Avocado Tomato and Feta Toast with Poached Eggs by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Peanut Butter Banana Oat Smoothie by The Messy Baker

Salads and Healthy Snacks

• Cherry Kale Panzanella by Jelly Toast
• Watermelon Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing by Runner’s Tales
• Southwestern Chicken Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pantry Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bars by Magnolia Days

Healthy Fit Lifestyle Dinners

• Grilled Fish Tacos with Summer Salsa by Foxes Love Lemons
• Blueberry Pork Chops by MealDiva
• Individual Grilled Veggie Pizzas by Curious Cuisiniere
• Almond Cashew Chicken by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Quinoa Bowls with Grilled Vegetables and Corn Salsa by Ruffles & Truffles
• Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Sesame Chicken and Vegetable Pasta by Momma’s Meals
• Spiced Yogurt Chicken Kabobs by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Chicken Spinach Quinoa and Brown Rice by Family Foodie

Healthy Desserts

• Healthy Coconut Banana Cookies by Alida’s Kitchen
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie Popsicles by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Blueberry Quinoa Cobbler by Run DMT

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the American Family Insurance. All opinions are my own.