Oat Bars - Finding Food with Baby, part 1

Ever since G. was born 3 months ago things like cooking have become quite limited. We're lucky to have some amazing friends who have fed us some fantastic home cooked food including pot roast,  chicken tagine, and more. We've also discovered a decent Thai restaurant that delivers and has lots of options with vegetables. This vegetable thing is important. We find ourselves seriously lacking in that area when I'm not grocery shopping regularly and it's the wrong time of year for the CSA boxes full of produce.

And just when we started to get good at feeding ourselves again, there's a new catch - the doctor suggested trying G. on a dairy and soy protein free diet in an effort to help her terrible reflux since medication wasn't helping enough. This means I am on a dairy and soy protein free diet, too. Have you noticed how many foods include soy proteins? Most marinades. Most vegan or dairy free foods. And every single readily available granola bar.

I need easy to grab, nutritious snacks that can be eaten while holding a crying baby (reflux makes her hurt and cry) so the lack of granola bars hit me hard. Especially since cheese is out and hard boiled eggs need peeling. Fortunately, I already had this oat bar recipe worked out. We always liked these but they are now a staple in our house!

Feel free to use any combination of dried fruit & nut bits. Just make sure to chop up anything large, like apricots or apples. Good combinations are cranberries & peanuts or apples & candied ginger. Chocolate chips & coconut turn this into something more dessert-like.

Oat Bars

2 cups regular oats
70 g flour (about 1/2 cup)
28 g ground flaxseed (about 1/4 cup)
50 g brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
6 Tablespoons applesauce, unsweetened
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups bits (dried fruit & nuts)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square pan or line with parchment paper.

Combine oats, flour, flaxseed, sugar, salt & cinnamon. Whisk together honey, applesauce, oil & egg. Add to dry ingredients, stirring to combine. Stir in bits. Spread in pan.

Bake 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into 16 pieces