Inhale that that crisp autumn air. It’s apple season!

In my house, these thick and chewy baked apple oat-granola bars are hard to keep around. They are loved by everyone with their real apple chunks and fall apple pie flavors! 

These apple oat-granola bars are slightly sweet with baked apples, granola and oats. A naturally gluten-free snack that is hearty enough to fill you up! Perfect for a breakfast, lunch or snack.

BAKED APPLE OAT & GRANOLA BARS INGREDIENTS

Oats:

There are three types of oats; steel cut, rolled, and instant. I’ve broken down the difference of each in my overnight oat bars recipe. I recommend using rolled oats for these bars too!

Granola: 

There are so many types of granola out in the world. I absolutely love One Degree Sprouted brand. They are dedicated to organic, plant-based sustainable farming. I usually get the vanilla chai or honey hemp. Leftovers are great with yogurt!

Banana:

You will need one VERY ripe banana. Choose one that has sat on your counter a day too long and started to spot. You’re probably wondering if it’s still good to eat or if its overripe. That is the perfect banana for this recipe.

Banana Tip: if you have more than one brown spotty bananas you can freeze them to use later to make banana muffins, bread, cake or a morning smoothie.

Apples, Apples & Apples:

To get the apple pie flavors you will use: apple cider, one medium (or two small) apples, and apple pie spice (see below). Choose your favorite apple cider and apples.

If you have extra apple cider heat it up on the stove or in a crock pot with some cinnamon sticks. Pour into a mug and top with some whipped cream, and sprinkle on some cinnamon for a delightful treat! Your house will smell amazing!

Other Add-Ins:

Hopefully you will have these items in your pantry already. Honey (or Bee-Free Honey), coconut oil and vanilla. Coconut oil can be a little pricey, but it’s a great investment because you will be able to make these bars a couple of times with the same jar. Also, there are plenty of DIY beauty tips that use coconut oil as well, so maybe have a spa day?

APPLE PIE SPICE

You can hopefully find apple pie spice easily at your grocery store. It’s usually in a small jar in the spice aisle. The spices are lined up by brand and then in alphabet order. If you can’t find it, or just want to make your own there are several recipes online using spices you probably already own. 

Baked Apple Oat-Granola Bars

• Servings: 8 large bars, 16 squares 
• Time: 50 mins 
• Difficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups Rolled Oats
• 1 ⅓ cups Granola
• 1 Ripe Banana
• ½ cup Coconut Oil
• ¼ cup Honey (or bee-free honey)
• ½ tsp Vanilla
• ¾ cup Apple Cider
• 1 tsp Apple Pie Spice
• 1 Medium Apple – peeled & cut into bite size chunks 1/4 inch cubes (or two small apples)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350F and line your 8X8 cake pan with parchment paper.

Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, hand mixer or your muscles. Mix together all of the ingredients except for the apple chunks.

Add in your apple chunks and hand-stir until they are evenly combined.

Press mixture into the cake pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes. Let them cool on the counter. 

Cut your bars into 8 large bars or 16 squares.

To store: keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator. These bars will last for a week.

                

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Whether you are still in a summer mood or craving some autumn flavors these delicious gluten-free pancakes have got you covered with with an option of either a summer or autumn fruit compote.

Pancakes are one of my favorite things to make on the weekend. I’m excited to share with you my recipe for yummy gluten-free buttermilk pancakes!

The oat flour makes these pancakes hearty but not dense. It keeps them fluffy, sweet, and buttery. You will feel fuller longer without the sense of over-indulgence, making it the perfect way to start the day. I love to top mine with seasonal fruit compote or peanut butter. 

The best part, you can make the flour with regular rolled oats. You don’t need to search for a special gluten-free flour because you can make it right at home. 

WHAT IS BUTTERMILK?

Buttermilk traditionally was the tangy cream left behind after churning butter. My grandmother churned butter which is probably where she got her first taste.

Today, it’s produced by adding a bacteria to low fat milk and then heating the mixture up to make it curdle by changing the pH balance resulting in a tangy acidity thick milk. Buttermilk is usually used in baking because of its tangy flavor and the acidity causes a chemical reaction with baking powder/soda so that there is a rise. That is how these gluten-free pancakes become so fluffy!

Need a substitute? If you have milk at home and lemon or vinegar you can make a buttermilk substitute. The ratio is 1 TBSP of acid to 1 cup of milk. 

HOMEMADE GLUTEN-FREE OAT FLOUR

No special flour purchase is necessary for these pancakes. The trick to this recipe is to use the rolled oats you already have in your pantry. Measure 3 cups out and pulse it in a dry food processor or blender until it’s a flour consistency, this will take about 3-5 minutes.

Once you have your oat flour then you’re ready to make your gluten-free pancakes! 

Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes

Servings: 12-15 pancakes 

Time: 25 mins 

Difficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups Oat Flour (see my instructions in notes above)
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 TBSP Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups Buttermilk
• 1 tsp Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk together all of your dry ingredients until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all of your wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and carefully stir until it is fully combined. Makes sure to not over mix the batter. It will be lumpy and thick. It should be between a grits and an oatmeal consistency.

Preheat your non-stick skillet over medium heat. If you’re confident that your pan is non-stick, you don’t have to use cooking spray or butter, but if you want to be on the safe side you can.

Pour your desired amount of pancake batter into the pan.

Wait until the bottom side is golden brown before flipping. These pancakes will not bubble up as they cook like regular flour pancakes but you will be able to see them cooking around the edges. They should take 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the other side.

ADD-INS!

Blueberries or chocolate chips are classic add ins! Carefully fold them into the batter with a spatula until incorporated, but make sure to not over mix the batter.

Bananas are also a great add-in. Instead of mixing them into the batter, I have found that it’s better to add them once the pancake batter is poured into the pan. This way the banana gets a little caramelized and it has a much better flavor.

Before pouring your batter into the hot pan, you will want to cut your banana into 1/4 inch slices and set them aside. Once you pour your batter into your preheated pan and the first side starts to brown, carefully add in your bananas. Once the first side is brown (about 2-3 minutes), carefully flip the pancakes and let them finish cooking (about 1-2 minutes). The banana will warm up and start to caramelize making them soft and sweet.

For summer inspired flavor then use peaches and for your autumn cravings then try apples in the compote

Apple or Peach Cinnamon Compote

Serving size: 6 pancakes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 apples or peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (depending on the size of the fruit you may need to use more or less)
• 4 TBSP butter
• 4 TBSP brown sugar 
• 2  tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt 

DIRECTIONS

1. Put diced apples or peaches in a small bowl, then add in cinnamon and stir.  Set this bowl aside.
2. Melt butter in a medium size pot over medium heat.
3. Incorporate brown sugar and stir until it dissolves.
4. Once sugar is dissolved then add in the fruit  and cinnamon mixture
5. Simmer in pot for 15 minutes until apples are soft.
6. Remove from heat and enjoy on top of pancakes
7. Store any additional compote in airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Copyright © 2019 Nicole’s Tasting Spoon

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Welcome Nicole, to the Yoga District Blog. She is our new resident foodie and will be supplying delicious healthy recipes for all of us to enjoy!  

This month she shares tasty Overnight Oat Bars, which are a cinch to make wholesome alternative to that boring bowl of cereal.

Looking for an easy on-the-go breakfast bar that is healthy, simple, gluten-free, and the perfect balance of sweetness? Look no further – dreams are made of these bars. And just like all of my overnight oats recipes these require no baking! You can prepare it the night before and wake up to bars for your busy morning.

OATS

There are three types of oats: steel cut, instant, and rolled.

I’ve broken down the difference of each, for this recipe I recommend rolled oats.

Steel Cut Oats: are not processed at all, this makes them the most authentic in texture and taste. However, they usually require cooking to make them the most delicious.  These oats are too textured to be suitable for these no-bake breakfast bars.

Instant Oats: are the exact opposite of steel cut oats. They are the most processed and purposely created for fast cooking. They are thin and have less texture. You can substitute rolled oats with instant oats but you will lose a little of that chewy bite.

Rolled Oats: are ideal for these bars! If you were Goldilocks, this would be your bowl of perfect porridge. In texture, they are between steel cut and instant oats. With being thinner than steel cut oats yet they still hold their texture and shape.

GRANOLA & POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER

Granola: There are so many types of granola out in the world, for this recipe I like to use a hint of sweetness, so I buy vanilla granola. One Degree Sprouted Oat Vanilla is my favorite brand (not an ad). Although, anything will do including making your own granola.

Powdered Peanut Butter: I’ll admit I jumped on this bandwagon late,  powdered PB is really good to mix into things like yogurt, smoothies or these overnight oat bars. PB is a great source of protein and could help you feel energized. Powdered PB does all of the same but is lower in fat calories, so people have started using it because it’s diet friendly. Check it out.  This ingredient is optional for making the oat bars.

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you today!

OVERNIGHT OAT BARS                  

Servings: 8 Time: 20 mins to prep, overnight to set up Difficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Vanilla Granola
• 1 ripe Banana (more ripe the better without being overripe)
• 1/2 cup Powdered Peanut Butter (optional)
• 1/2 cup Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1/3 cup Honey
• Punch of Salt

Vegan alternative: replace the 1/3 cup of Honey with 1/2 cup of Bee Free Honee. I used the Bee Free Honee Brand

Additional Add-Ins:

• 4-6 oz Dried Fruit
• 1 TBSP Flax Seed
• 1 TBSP Chia Seed

DIRECTIONS

Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix together all of the ingredients and your add-ins except the dried fruit, that will need to added in by hand at the end. You can do this with a KitchenAid mixer with the paddle attachment or by hand with a spatula.

Combined ingredients evenly.

If you’re adding dried fruit, stir it in.

Using your hands, press bars into the 8×8 pan.

Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to have it set.

To serve, pull up, using the parchment or wax paper to take it out of the pan and cut your bars.

                

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