Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Printable version)

Nutritious bars blending oats, banana, blueberries, and protein for a chewy, wholesome grab-and-go option.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together rolled oats, protein powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add honey or maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil. Whisk until homogenous.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold in the blueberries, taking special care if using frozen berries to maintain the batter’s texture.
06 - Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 12 equal portions.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like a treat but actually keep you full and energized through morning meetings or workouts.
  • No fancy equipment or baking skills required—just a bowl, a whisk, and about 15 minutes of your time.
  • Frozen blueberries work beautifully, which means you can make these any season without feeling rushed to use fresh fruit before it spoils.
02 -
  • Overripe bananas are your friend here—they're sweeter and mash more easily, which means you can use less added sugar without sacrificing flavor or moisture.
  • Don't thaw frozen blueberries, because that's when they bleed their juice and turn your whole batch purple-gray instead of studded with blue pockets.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly together, so pull your eggs and banana out of the fridge a few minutes before you start if you have time.
03 -
  • Measure your protein powder by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off rather than scooping directly from the container, because protein powder compacts easily and you'll accidentally use way more than intended.
  • If your bars are turning out too dense, you're probably overmixing the batter—stop as soon as you see no more streaks of dry ingredients and trust that they'll come together as they bake.
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