Whether you are following the viral TikTok Baked Oats trend or simply looking for a delicious treat, you are in the right place! Baked oats are much more delicious than the gooey oatmeal breakfast bowls you might think of when you imagine oatmeal. This recipe uses whatever you happen to have in the pantry. Feel free to get creative with the ingredients!
This morning as I scrolled my newsfeed, I read that viral feta pasta is out (thank goodness, it doesn’t appeal to me at all), and that the newest TikTok trend is baked oats. Coincidentally, my daughter and I whipped up these baked oat bars a couple of days ago as part of our homeschooling lesson!
As we followed a series of reading passages in Spectrum Reading Grade 3, one assignment was to read a recipe and respond to comprehension questions. It was late in the afternoon, and she had already read several passages about the unmotivated character Perry who was frustrated with soccer. He had looked forward to playing soccer all winter. Now that it was soccer season, it was harder to persevere and follow coach’s directions than he thought it would be. His mother recommended homemade Energy Bars to help him with the big game.
The story stirred up some emotions in both my daughter and me. Haven’t we all at some point dreamed of a longer summer break, a shorter commute, and more time to pursue hobbies? Now that we’ve been given what we hoped for, sticking with stay-home recommendations is harder than we imagined.
Just like the character in the story, my daughter has been needing some motivation lately. She misses live classes, friends, and after school activities, but she is wise enough to know not to rush any of these when it’s not safe yet. Coping with our home becoming school has been harder as the pandemic goes on, almost reaching the one-year mark.
Sometimes as I lead her in homeschooling, I realize that she needs activities that make being home continue to feel special and exciting. When we saw this recipe, I knew that baking it together in the middle of our school day would help. These were the perfect reminder to power on and continue, even when things don’t feel easy. Did doing this activity help with reading comprehension? Who knows, really. What matters is that we had a good, memorable day.
The next morning, we hand wrote some motivational sentences and placed them on the wall with a heart-shaped sticker.
- My ideas are unique.
- I can do hard things.
- I believe in myself.
- I can learn anything.
- I am brave enough to try.
- I am a problem solver.
It could be the motivational words, or it could be the power snack that has helped us cope with another day at home. As I’m photographing these tasty treats by the sunrise this morning, I’m feeling much more optimistic.
Whatever-You-Have-in-the-Pantry Baked Oats Recipe Recipe
Adapted from “Energy Bars” in Spectrum Reading Grade 3
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups of oats
- 1 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 12 cup of raisins
- 1 cup of chopped cashews
- 3/4 cup of coconut
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Directions
Hear the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper in a 9 X 13 inch pan. Whisk the brown sugar, oil and eggs until smooth. Stir in the oatmeal and flour. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Use a large mixing spoon to spread the mixture into the pan, smoothing it down with the back of the spoon. Bake until the edges turn a light golden brown, around 20-25 minutes. Turn the oven off. If the center is not yet set, allow the bars to stay in the oven to become more firm.
Remove from the oven, and let it cool for 15 minutes. Take it out, keeping it on the parchment paper, and allow it to cool on a baker’s rack for another 15 minutes.
You can drizzle a honey glaze on top. Make the glaze by placing 1/4 cup of honey and 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan. Stir while heating until melted and fully combined. Drizzle over the baked oats using the back of a mixing spoon or pastry brush to spread evenly.
Serve, and enjoy! Cover for two weeks or freeze for up to six months.
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