Nik's Nutty Apple Protein Baked Oatmeal (or Bars)

Ingredients

  • Wet Ingredients:
  • 1 c. quick oats (Folks have asked about steel cut and regular oats. I do not recommend. Protein cooks FAST. Unless the oats can keep up the texture isn't going to be that great. But I welcome you to prove me wrong!)
  • 3 scoops of either vanilla or unflavored protein powder (I used this unflavored kid)
  • A generous pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1.5 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. sugar-free pancake syrup
  • 2 eggs, beaten or 1/2 c. Egg Beaters
  • 1/4 c. PB2 powdered peanut
  • 1/4 c. natural peanut butter (I used Naturally More)
  • NOTE: If you don't have access to a good, healthy peanut butter but DO have PB2, use about 3/4 c. of it. If you have peanut butter but no PB2, use 1/2 c. of the peanut butter.
  • Chunky Stuff
  • 1 small apple (I used a honeycrisp) cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preparation

Step 1


Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Mix together all wet ingredients in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Add chunky stuff and mix that in well then pour into a casserole dish (mine was 8 x 8) that has been sprayed in non-stick.


For baked oatmeal (soft, but can be cut into squares, just a tad wetter than a cake): Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is done and edges are set. For oat bars: cook 30 minutes until edges are brown.
Cool before attempting to slice!


These taste just...lovely. YUM! Now I'm on the fence about which I like better: my Fall Harvest flavor or this one. Hmmm...good thing both are so easy to make so I don't have to decide!