While snack time is generally awesome in our books, it can be a trouble area for some because if not well-planned, it often leads to grazing, excessive calorie consumption, and a general disregard for every smart food choice made prior to snack time.
Snack smart — plan ahead.
Think about when you’ll be hungry next, know what you’re going to eat, prepare snacks ahead of time, and bring them with you if you’ll be away. You won’t find us at a Seahawks game without at least some fruit and veggie slices, a homemade bar or protein bites, a bag of nuts, and water. We know it sounds rudimentary, but it’s surprising how many people don’t plan ahead. Why leave your snacking fate up to a vending machine??
A well-planned snack will leave you satisfied and tide you over until the next meal. And guess what? These peanut butter banana oat bars handle that.
Is there anything better than peanut butter and banana? (Answer: no.) These bars are packed with nutritious goodness too (scientific term, BTW): oats, chia seeds, quinoa…PLUS they’re gluten free for celiac peeps out there and can easily be made vegan. Did I mention they’re delicious? Snack perfection.
Athletes: pair these with a piece of fruit for a perfect pre-workout snack
Vegans: use pea, hemp, soy, or rice protein (or a blend) instead of whey, and sub maple syrup for honey
Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 1/2 scoops whey protein powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 large banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.Mix oats, quinoa, baking soda, and protein powder in one bowl. In another bowl, mix mashed banana, peanut butter, and honey. If you keep your PB refrigerated, you may want to heat it up a bit.
Combine wet to dry and mix well. Fold in chia seeds.
Press firmly into an 8×8 pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Cut into 20 bars and store in air-tight container. Wrap individually in Ziploc baggies or plastic wrap for a great to-go snack.
Nutritional Information (1 bar): 111 calories, 13.8g carbs, 4.4g fat, 4.5g protein
