sunshine on the daily

breakfast or dessert? both!

My sweet toddler girl is a little over eating eggs every morning for breakfast. she’s ready to try something new. as a full-time working mama, breakfast can feel like daunting, but these oatmeal chocolate chip protein breakfast bars are exactly what our little family needed. easy, quick, healthy, high protein, keep well, and of course, delicious. toddler (and hubby!) approved!

these are ingredients we almost always have on hand, so I hope they’re as easy to make as they were for me. half of the time, she was on my hip! 😉

what to expect

prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 40 minutes | total time: 50 minutes

what you’ll need

• mixing bowl
• 9×13 baking pan
• measuring cups and spoons

the ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup milk of choice
• 3 large eggs room temperature, preferred; see notes
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract make sure it’s pure!
• 1 cup mashed overripe banana about 2-3 ripe bananas
• ½ cup natural peanut butter the must-stir drippy kind; see notes
• ½ cup pure maple syrup could also use honey
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats rolled oats not instant or quick
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup protein powder vanilla or unsweetened arbonne is my favorite; see notes
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips

the recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. I love Chosen Foods avocado oil spray with a hint of vanilla!
• In a large bowl, mash the banana. then whisk in the milk, eggs, vanilla extract.
• stir in the peanut butter and maple syrup until smooth and fully combined.
• Stir in the oats, salt, and protein powder until no visible clumps remain and the mixture is evenly combined.
• Pour the oatmeal mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. I left half of the pan chocolate chip free for my toddler!
• Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
• enjoy!

notes

eggs: if you can, it’s best to source local, organic, pasture-raised eggs. why? they’re typically more sustainable (local), better for the hens (pasture-raised), and organic (more nutritious). because the hens diets are natural consuming fresh bugs, grass, and chemical-free feed, the eggs will therefore contain higher omega-3s fatty acids, and vitamins A, D, and E.

peanut butter: conventional peanuts are heavily sprayed with chemicals, pesiticides, and other toxic substances. check out the EWG website for the safest peanut butter options. mostly likely, you’ll want to choose organic when possible!

protein powder: not all protein powders are created equal. my favorite is arbonne’s essential meal protein powder, which includes 25 g of vegan protein with 9 essential amino acids, carbs for energy, and healthy fats. the Avocado Oil makes it creamy enough to drink on its own with just water. it’s robust protein blend includes Pea, Hemp Seed, Pumpkin Seed, Quinoa, and Rice Protein to fuel your body. and why I love to mix it into these oatmeal chocolate chip protein breakfast bars is because the arbonne protein powder Includes vitamins A, C, D, E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, plus key minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, and calcium. extra bonus? it’s Formulated without artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners; formulated without high fructose corn syrup, dairy or soy. Formulated without gluten.

enjoy! 🌻