Healthy-ish Oatmeal Bars

1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Pecans, Chopped (or any nut you like)
1/2 Cup Dried Fruit (any combination you like- raisins, craisins, dates, cherries, strawberries, apples, coconut)
1/4 Cup Milled Flax Seed (or other seeds- pumpkin, sunflower, etc.)
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/4 Cups Milk
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
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Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees

Mix wet ingredients together. Add in dry ingredients. Pour into a 9x9 or 8x11 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes. Let cool, then remove from pan and cut into 9 pieces (using a pizza cutter works great).

With having a new baby I'm struggling to find time to eat. These have become a must-have for me. They are quick to throw together, very portable and they hold me over for a while. I think they taste best slightly warm so I reheat them for 20-30 seconds in the microwave. The great thing is you can make them as healthy or unhealthy as you like, depending on what you choose to add to them. And the possibilities of combinations are endless so you don't have to get tired of just one flavor.


*Recipe adapted from http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/baked-oatmeal-snack-bars

Oatmeal Candy Cookies A.K.A. No Bake Cookies

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 TBSP Hershey cocoa
1 cube butter
dash of salt
dash of cream of tartar
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups minute oats
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Yield about 2 dozen

Bring all ingredients, except peanut butter and oats, to full boil for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and oats. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cool.

These are another favorite from my childhood and whenever I make them they disappear in no time. Just make sure you have plenty of milk on hand before making these. You're gonna need it!

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut
1 cup craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips
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Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in an electric mixer. Add in vanilla and eggs. Next add salt, flour, baking soda, and oatmeal. Stir in walnuts, coconut, craisins and white chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10-13 minutes.

I got this recipe from Sharon, a co-worker of mine when I worked at the credit union. She made these for me on my birthday and they are soooo yummy. The craisins and white chocolate chips were my addition to the recipe and these cookies are just as good without them if you don't have them on hand.