Healthy Oatmeal Bars and Whiskey

I wish I had met her. It’s amazing how some people can make a lasting impression, even if you’ve never met them. Even if you only saw them for a fleeting moment. That person for me is the woman I saw last weekend. I was up at the cabin, taking a leisurely run through the pine trees in northern Arizona. The road was curvy, long, and had about a 20% grade (ok, well it wasn’t that steep, but don’t tell my thighs that!) I was on my way down (thankfully) when the sound of an ATV racing up the hill overpowered even the Eric Church song I had cranked up to 11. Getting ready to give my best attempt at a long, angry glare to what I was sure was some young out of control kid on his parents’ ATV, you can imagine my surprise when what rounded the corner was actually a very fit, 65-year-old-ish woman with long, flowing, shiny, gray hair and the biggest, brightest, most genuine smile I had seen in a long time. Pure happiness. It was infectious. It made me smile. And it made me think now that’s a life well-lived!

Healthy Oatmeal Bars Ingredients
It all begins with healthy ingredients

I started to wonder how she has lived her life to get to this point. Active, in shape, content, happy. Undoubtedly the result of day in and day out healthy living and eating. The image of her carefree, happy-go-lucky, confidence is forever burned in my mind. I wanted what she had. And my first step to get what she’s got was to create great-tasting, satisfying, healthy oatmeal bars that I could eat for breakfast, lunch, or a midnight snack and still feel good about it.

Healthy Oatmeal Bars Ingredients
Healthy Oatmeal Bars Ingredients
Great Ingredients for a Great Bar

I know myself, though… these couldn’t be your standard I’m-pretty-sure-I’m-eating-bark type of healthy oatmeal bars. They needed a bit of sugar and spice. Cinnamon? Yep. Bananas and dried cherries? Perfect. Chocolate? Of course! And throw in some roasted cashews- you can’t get to be a 65-ish healthy, active, inspiring person without some protein.

Healthy Oatmeal Bars
These Healthy Oatmeal Bars Have it All

Yep, that must be it. She got there by eating good-for-you things like healthy oatmeal bars. Well, either that, or a double shot of whiskey straight up every night.

Whiskey Glass for Healthy Oatmeal Bars Blog
This Could Be The Secret

If I ever get the pleasure of meeting her, I’ll have to ask. Until then, I’ll stick to my healthy oatmeal bars. They’re actually really good!

Healthy Oatmeal Bars Bite Sized
Great Bite Sized Snack Too

Healthy Oatmeal Bars Ingredients

Healthy Oatmeal Bars and Whiskey

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

These Healthy Oatmeal Bars will fool you - not only are they healthy, they taste great! Breakfast, snack, crumbled on ice cream? Any way you have them, you'll feel good about eating them!

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup flour
  • 1 Cup Quick Cooking Oats
  • 1/2 Cup protein powder of choice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Cup Dried Cherries, divided (two 1/2 cup portions)
  • 2/3 Cup Oil, I used Coconut Oil
  • 1 Cup Almond Milk, Can substitute whole milk if desired
  • 1 Ripe Banana, Cut into fourths
  • 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 Cup Roasted Cashews

Instructions

  1. Turn oven on to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together flour, oats, protein powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. Soak 1/2 cup dried cherries in water for 10 minutes. Blend the soaked cherries, oil, milk, and banana in a blender until smooth.
  4. Add wet ingredients from blender to the mixed dry ingredients. Fold in remaining 1/2 cup dried cherries, chocolate chips, and cashews. Mix by hand until well combined.
  5. Spread batter into a parchment paper lined 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Healthy Oatmeal Bars and Whiskey – These Healthy Oatmeal Bars will fool you – not only are they healthy, they taste great! Breakfast, snack, crumbled on ice cream? Any way you have them, you'll feel good about eating them! – flour, Quick Cooking Oats, protein powder of choice, Ground Cinnamon, Dried Cherries (divided (two 1/2 cup portions)), Oil (I used Coconut Oil ), Almond Milk (Can substitute whole milk if desired ), Ripe Banana (Cut into fourths ), Chocolate Chips, Roasted Cashews, , Turn oven on to 350 degrees. ; Mix together flour, oats, protein powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.; Soak 1/2 cup dried cherries in water for 10 minutes. Blend the soaked cherries, oil, milk, and banana in a blender until smooth. ; Add wet ingredients from blender to the mixed dry ingredients. Fold in remaining 1/2 cup dried cherries, chocolate chips, and cashews. Mix by hand until well combined.; Spread batter into a parchment paper lined 8×8 baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. ; ; – – Breakfast – Dessert – Snack – American – Cooking for a Crowd – Easy – Summer – breakfast bars – chocolate – dried cherries – easy – healthy eating – healthy living – healthy oatmeal bars – oatmeal bars – snack – whiskey[/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

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