We love these breakfast bars for school days! We make a batch or two of them, freeze them and have them ready to pull out and heat in the microwave for 40 seconds — Who can beat a healthy, homemade breakfast in less than one minute on busy work or school days?

HEALTHY OATMEAL BREAKFAST BARS
Makes 9 to 12 bars
total time, including baking: less than 30 minutes
(loosely based on recipes by ________)

• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins (plus extra for decorating)
• 1/2 cup applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until fully combined. Dough will be sticky and somewhat moist.
3. Spoon the mixture in dollops onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread out with back of spoon, forming into 9 to 11 bars depending on the size of bar you desire. (We make 9 larger bars approximately __ by __ inches to be served as a full breakfast, but they could be made smaller to serve as snacks and such.)  
4. Bake for 17 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet.
6. Once cool, tear the parchment on the cookie sheet into strips and stack the oatmeal breakfast bars with parchment strips between each cookie.
7. Place into a freezer ziplock (or freezer container of your choice) and freeze.
8. To reheat on busy mornings, simply take out a breakfast bar, place on a microwaveable plate and heat in microwave for approximately 40 seconds. In some microwaves, it may work best to heat the breakfast bar for 20 seconds, flip the bar over and heat for another 20 seconds.
9. Sit down and enjoy or eat as you are running out the door!  Yum!

1. Spoon the mixture in dollops onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread out with back of spoon, forming into 9 to 11 bars depending on the size of bar you desire. (We make 9 larger bars approximately __ by __ inches to be served as a full breakfast, but they could be made smaller to serve as snacks and such.)  
2. Bake for 17 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet.
4. Once cool, tear the parchment on the cookie sheet into strips and stack the oatmeal breakfast bars with parchment strips between each cookie.
5. Place into a freezer ziplock (or freezer container of your choice) and freeze.
6. To reheat on busy mornings, simply take out a breakfast bar, place on a microwaveable plate and heat in microwave for approximately 40 seconds. In some microwaves, it may work best to heat the breakfast bar for 20 seconds, flip the bar over and heat for another 20 seconds.
7. Sit down and enjoy or eat as you are running out the door!  Yum!