PB&J Breakfast Bars

Healthy, filling and easy to make, Rachael Ray herself thinks these tasty bars are a total win! Convenient for grab-and-go breakfasts and anytime snacking.

As if a compliment by Rachael Ray isn’t cool enough, the following recipe comes from a cookbook I recently reviewed call The Teen Kitchen －and Amazon just named it one of the best cookbooks of the month.

The book was written by twin sisters Emily and Lyla Allen, who in 2013 at age nine created the blog The Kitchen Twins. Their mission was and still is to get families in the kitchen cooking with natural, whole foods.

Lyla and Emily want to show everyone that healthy foods really do taste good, and that time spent in the kitchen can be fun. The added value, they think (and I agree!), is that people will feel better when they cook most of their meals themselves instead of relying on processed foods.

Small world that it is, the twins’ father and my husband went to college together in Upstate New York and, several years ago, I collaborated with their mother when she was running her own food-related business.

We live in separate states, but social media makes it easy to keep up with these busy twins. Plus they’ve made appearances on Chopped Junior, The Today Show and The Rachael Ray Show, to name a few. (I loved how they rooted each other on while competing against one other on Chopped!💕)

When deciding which recipe to share from the pages of their new book, the following PB&J bars seemed like a fitting choice. Beside the endorsement given by Rachael Ray (who also wrote the forward for the cookbook), Lyla and Emily name these as a personal favorite that they’ve made countless times over the years.

When tasted fresh from the oven, my family thought the bars were fine. But the flavor improved overnight, turning them into a breakfast we came to look forward to over the next several days. The sweet jam provides a lovely glaze for the peanut butter-oat base (which contains no sugar or syrups), and an overnight rest gives the flavors time to meld.

For a portable breakfast or snack, Lyla and Emily like to cut two even-size bars and put the jam sides together, sandwich-style. We enjoyed them both as single squares and sandwiched like the girls do. In the latter case, some of the jam naturally squishes out the sides, but it’s nothing a tasty lick and a napkin won’t take care of.

Unlike the soft, squishy texture of the traditional PB&J sandwich, these bars have a heartier consistency thanks to the oat base. We paired the bars with a handful of blueberries or a banana and found them to be quite filling.

With more than 75 accessible, fun, healthy, and delicious recipes for everyday cooking, the twins’ premier cookbook echoes their mission of getting families in the kitchen cooking with natural, whole foods.

Lyla and Emily may only be in high school, but they have the experience and presence (and are truly delightful young women) to quickly put beginners chefs at ease with their friendly advice, full-color photography, and step-by-step directions.

I bet they were thrilled when Amazon recently named The Teen Kitchen one of its best cookbooks of the month. (And notice the thoughtful thank you note they tucked in my book! 💕)

When you see a new cookbook advertised, are you curious as to what sort of recipes are inside and whether they will appeal to you? Here’s a list of recipes that I dog-eared when reading through The Teen Kitchen for the first time:

• Lemony White Bean Dip – page 66 (I’m thinking this could be the new avocado toast…maybe with a thick slice of tomato.)
• Oat & Date Power Drops – page 67
• Maple Corn Bisque – page 79
• Asian Slaw Lettuce Cups – page 84
• Southwestern Chicken (or not!) Casserole – page 110
• Make-Your-Own Wild Rice Bowls – page 124
• Golden Black Beans – page 128
• Watermelon Fresca – page 177

A favorite of Rachel Ray herself, the whole grains, healthy fat and protein in these easy bars will keep you full – and be a fun reminder of a favorite sandwich.

PB&J Breakfast Bars

Yield: 18 bars

These wholesome bars are a twist on the age-old favorite sandwich and are vegan and gluten-free when using certified GF oats.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats (plus an extra tablespoon or two for sprinkling)
• 3 tablespoons (36g) chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (8oz/227g) applesauce (smooth, not chunky*)
• 2/3 cup (170g) peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
• 3/4 cup (240g) your favorite jam (I used strawberry)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment. (I crease the parchment along all the corners to help it sit better in the pan.)

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, and then add the applesauce and peanut butter. Stir to evenly incorporate. Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking dish and press down to form an even layer. (The twins use their clean hands; I used a spatula J.) Spread the jam evenly over the top, and sprinkle with the extra 1-2 tablespoons of oats, if desired.

Bake for 25 minutes, checking a few minutes early to make sure the edges are not too brown, as all ovens differ. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

The bars keep well on the counter for the first day or so. After that, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

*The twins and I use unsweetened applesauce; if you’d prefer an added hint of sweetness in the base (that layer is not especially sweet), you may prefer to use sweetened.

*If you don’t typically eat applesauce, you may wish to purchase a pack of 4-ounce singles. Two of these cups are the perfect amount for these bars, and the remaining amount can be stored in the cupboard for a future baking need.

One more thing: For a portable breakfast or snack, Lyla and Emily like to cut two even-size bars and put the jam sides together, sandwich-style. We tried this and loved the bars this way. Some of the jam will squish out the sides, so you can simply scrape it away, and if you like them this way, use a little less jam when making the bars the next time.

More On YouTube More on Instagram

Tried this recipe?Post a picture on instagram and we will repost it! Mention @fountainavenuekitchen or tag #fountainavenuekitchen!

The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/