I’m not a big breakfast person most days so I’ve always stocked up on breakfast bars at the grocery store to keep me going.  Since attempting to be more domesticated, it occurred to be that those breakfast bars I ingest on the regular have a bizarrely long shelf life… err, that can’t be good.  Now, I’m no hippie health nut but common sense led me to believe I could likely make breakfast bars myself that would probably be a better option moving forward without breaking too much of a sweat.  I was right!  Here is a recipe for preservative-free breakfast bars that will start your day off right and get you out the door quick!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds + 4 tbsp water)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Approximately 1 cup fruit/berry preserve of your choosing… try one of these homemade jams!

Cook

Prepare chia egg by combining chia seeds and water in a small bowl and let sit for approximately five minutes until mixture thickens.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and chia egg in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine honey, brown sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract until sugar granules are completely dissolved.  Pour liquid mixture onto dry mixture and stir until completely blended… I find it easier to use my hands for this part!

Place 2/3 of the sticky, icky mixture into a 9″x9″ square pan and press down very firmly.  The firmer, the better to ensure the bars hold their form when eating later!  Spread jam/preserve across the entire surface for a thick, fruity layer of goodness.

Finally, crumble the remaining 1/3 of the mixture on top of your jam layer and sprinkle coconut flakes all over!  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.  Check at 25 minutes and remove from oven once the top is golden brown.  Keep refrigerated and munch at your leisure over the next week!