Peanut Butter, Blueberry, and Oat Energy Snacks

Peanut butter, blueberry, and oat energy snacks are one of my favorites.  First of all, when it comes to snacks this is where I always fall short of  staying healthy.  Or, where I try to not eat processed.  The "grab and go" is just the easiest thing for me to do. 

Since I've decided to start cooking a weekly dessert while meal prepping, I've also decided I'm going to do a weekly snack, as well.  That way, at least one of my snacks throughout the day is satisfying to me and I don't feel guilty after eating it. If you like these healthy snacks, then you will love my Flourless Banana Muffins!

I am currently in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy and I have definitely had a boost of energy from the first, but I am now back at work and when I'm driving home is when I start to feel the fatigue.  Most importantly, I want to continue working out while pregnant,at least 4 times a week, give or take a day. 

I have absolutely zero time before work to do that so the only time I can work out and then obviously cook dinner is after work.  That is when I need my energy to continue and so I decided I needed to make a snack that would boost my energy.  That is where this recipe comes into play 🙂

What gives you the extra boost in these snacks

To motor through a workout session, you need a combo of carbs for energy, plus fat and protein for staying power.  These snacks have it all!  Peanut butter has 9 grams of protein in only 2 tbsp.  One cup of blueberries has 21 grams of carbs and one cup of oatmeal has 27 grams. 

For this specific recipe I only used ½ cup of blueberries, but 2 cups of oatmeal. That is one major energy booster right there.  So, you can either eat them as a bar or add to a mason jar like granola and top it with plain greek yogurt or cottage cheese. I used these cute mason jars so I can quickly grab them out of the fridge and take them with me for the day.

Just remember to be conscious of your fruit intake.  That is why I didn't use a whole cup of blueberries and only used ½ because you don't want to eat more then 2 cups of fruit in a day if you are trying to watch your weight.

This recipe made 5 equals portions so that I have one for me for each day of work week 🙂  I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do!

What do you need to make these energy snacks

You will need 1 cup natural peanut butter, ½ cup pure maple syrup, 2 cups rolled oats or old fashioned oats, cooked, ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup chopped pistachios.  If you don't have pistachios on you, choose another nut that is also full of protein.  Walnuts and almonds are both great options.  You will also need ½ tsp of kosher salt, 1 tbsp of chia seeds, 1 egg, whisked, 1 tsp baking powder, and coconut or avocado cooking spray.  If  you are eating them as granola and in need of some cute mason jars with lids I've linked some here. 6 pack of Mason Jars with lids.  You will also need a deep baking pan.  I recommend using 8 inches. 8 inch square Non-stick baking pan.

How do you make this healthy snack

First, preheat oven to 350° line an 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.  Lightly coat with cooking spray and set aside.   In a large mixing bowl combine peanut butter and maple syrup and mix well.  Stir in oats, blueberries, pistachios, chia seeds, egg, baking powder, and salt.  Spread mixture onto prepared baking pan and press firmly and evenly.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Until edges are browned and crispy.  Finally, once cooked through remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan.  Scoop out evenly into mason jars.  Enjoy!  You can eat these as they are or use them as a topping for plain greek yogurt or plain cottage cheese.