Oat Recipes for Summer

By Sarah Stoner

Homemade Energy Bars

A family favorite for grab-n-go summer hikes. This recipe offers plenty of leeway to concoct flavor combinations... like dried cranberries and walnuts, or dried figs and roasted macadamia nuts, or whatever medley of nuts and dried fruits your cupboards may conveniently hold. Level up to Mojo style: mix in coconut flakes and dark chocolate chips.

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats (we prefer them chewy—but for crunchier bars, toast oats 15 min and or toast nuts 6-7 min, at 325 degrees)

• 2 cups trail mix, or nuts and dried fruit of your choice (I do one cup nuts, one cup dried fruit—but you do you! Go nuts!)

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ cup brown rice syrup

• ¼ cup honey

• 2 Tbsp oil

• 1 cup almond butter or other nut butter

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine oats, trail mix, and salt. Over medium heat, place the brown rice syrup and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Add in the oil and almond butter until it is thoroughly mixed and is even in consistency. 

2. Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients and combine until evenly mixed. Press into an oiled 8x12-inch baking dish. Here’s where you sprinkle with chocolate chips and press in (optional, they are great without too). Let cool, then flip out onto a cutting board and cut—or go caveman like us and just cut hunks out of the dish. 

3. Store with a lid or wrap in waxed paper to keep the bars from drying out.

Oatmeal Griddlecakes

Great for campouts, as the dry ingredients can be mixed ahead of time, and coconut milk is shelf-stable. Serves 3.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup oats

• 2 cups buttermilk (or coconut milk, which also offers better absorption of iron in the oats)

• ½ cup flour (gluten-free or gluten-full)

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 eggs, beaten

• dried cranberries, optional

Directions

1. Combine oats and buttermilk or coconut milk. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.

2. Cook up on a hot griddle. That’s it! Our family loves these topped with plain yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a side of the Co-op’s Maple Bacon sausages.