These vegan baked strawberry oatmeal bars combine that nutritious value of spelt flour, flaxseed, and oats.  They are moist, soft, hearty and downright delicious.  Baked oatmeal bars are  great way to get a nutritious breakfast in a convenient on-the-go slice.  Plus, strawberries are a great way to kick off spring!  Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with One Degree Organics.  I received product, but all opinions are my own.

Earth Day conjures up two passions of mine.  First, running.  In 2017, I ran my first ultra, the Earth Day 50k, and in 2018 I returned to the race to take third place with Jeremy.  Both years, I learned about the power of the running community and tested my physical limits.  In addition, both days were key moments in my journey to living a healthier, plant-based life.

The second passion Earth Day brings up is the environment.  Traditionally, the holiday celebrates the modern environmental movement.  The environment is a HUGE reason why I remain vegan.  Yes, veganism has helped my athletics, but for me it’s about more than that.  A plant-based diet has a smaller environmental footprint than a carnivorous diet.  For me, keeping the planet as healthy as possible is one of my guiding principles.

One Degree Organics is a company that combines my passions for personal health and environmental health. When they approached me about creating an Earth Day themed recipe, I was stoked!  They are committed to 100% transparency and clean foods.  Unlike conventional products currently on the market, all One Degree Organic products are certified as Glyphosate Residue Free and display the Bio-Checked Non Glyphosate Certified seal.  The World Health Organization classifies glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen,” or cancer-causing substance (source).  With the seal, consumers can feel confident that One Degree Organic products use third-party testing to confirm the absence of this pesticide.

Strawberries are reaching their peak season, and seemed like a great fruit to use to celebrate Earth Day. I combined these sweet berries with One Degree’s spelt flour and gluten-free rolled oats to make vegan baked strawberry oatmeal bars. This recipe is a sweet combination of clean and healthy ingredients.  I love eating them before or after a run.  Or as a snack between meals.  And dessert too.  Basically, all the time.  I brought them to Sprint Tuesdays last week for a post-workout breakfast.  Two thumbs up from the crew!

Spelt flour is rich in iron and magnesium, two minerals that I have been trying to increase in my diet because of their athletic benefits (read more here).  Spelt flour also gives the baked goods a slightly nutty taste, and create a richer texture than whole wheat or all-purpose flour.  Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which aids iron absorption.  Strawberries are entering their peak growing season, from April to June.  Making strawberry baked oatmeal for Earth Day celebrates the fresh upcoming produce – and in my mind kicks off farmers’ market season!

A few tips for making the best vegan strawberry baked oatmeal bars:

• When you make the oat flour, process all of the dry ingredients together in order to better incorporate the spices and baking soda throughout the dough.
• Use fresh or frozen strawberries.  In the spring, fresh strawberries are cheaper because they are more abundant.  If you want to make this recipe in the winter, opt for frozen strawberries to save some money – the nutrient value is the same!
• Be gentle when mixing.  The more you mix, the tougher and chewier the bars will be once baked.

Vegan baked strawberry oatmeal bars are a wonderful breakfast for the busy athlete.  The gluten-free oats provide lasting energy and easy to digest fuel.  Spelt and flaxseeds provide plant-based protein.  Strawberries contribute vitamin C to help boost iron absorption.  Plus strawberries are a delicious way to celebrate Earth Day and welcome the warmer seasons!  They stay soft and moist, even after a few days.

If you try this recipe, let me know!  Rate it, leave a comment, take a picture and tag @Rabbitfoodruns on Instagram.  I’d love to see how you enjoy your strawberry baked oatmeal bars!

Buen provecho,

Becca

Print Recipe

Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Bars

Course

breakfast

Servings

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 c One Degree Gluten-Free Rolled Oats *Divided into 1 c and 1/2 c
• 1/2 c One Degree Spelt Flour
• 1/4 c ground flaxseeds
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice *divided
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and sliced *see note

Course breakfast Servings Ingredients Dry ingredients 1 1/2 c One Degree Gluten-Free Rolled Oats *Divided into 1 c and 1/2 c 1/2 c One Degree Spelt Flour 1/4 c ground flaxseeds 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp baking soda Wet ingredients 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk 1/4 c maple syrup 3 tbsp melted coconut oil 2 tbsp lemon juice *divided 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 c fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and sliced *see note

Instructions

To prepare the strawberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch dish with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, add the sliced strawberries (can be fresh or frozen). Toss with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and set aside.

To prepare the batter

1. Add 1/2 c of oats, the flour, flaxseeds, ginger, salt and baking soda to the bowl of a food processor. Process on high until a fine flour forms and all ingredients are well mixed.
2. Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl and add remaining 1 c of rolled oats. Stir well to combine.
3. Form a well in the middle of the flour. Pour in the almond milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Gently mix into the dry ingredients until well incorporated but not over mixed.
4. Gently fold in the strawberries. Transfer the oatmeal mixture into the prepared 8x8 in dish. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let the pan cool for 2-3 minutes. Lift the sides of the parchment paper up to transfer the whole baked oatmeal onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
6. Once cooled, place the baked oatmeal on a flat surface or back into the 8x8in pan to slice into bars.

Recipe Notes

• One Degree gluten-free oats and spelt flour
• If using frozen strawberries, do not thaw the berries before adding them to the batter.  Chop them into thinner slices or smaller pieces.  Doing both things will minimize the amount of moisture they release and will keep the bars from becoming soggy.

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Linking with Sarah and Deborah for Meatless Monday.