Irresistible Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Oatmeal Bars along with the estimated SmartPoints value for those following the Weight Watchers program.

Ingredients

For the Oatmeal Base:

• 2 cups rolled oats (about 12 SmartPoints)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (about 4 SmartPoints)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (about 6 SmartPoints)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (0 SmartPoints)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (0 SmartPoints)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (0 SmartPoints)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted (about 24 SmartPoints)
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (about 4 SmartPoints)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (0 SmartPoints)

For the Blueberry Filling:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (about 2 SmartPoints)
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (about 3 SmartPoints)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (0 SmartPoints)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening) (about 1 SmartPoint)

Total SmartPoints

• Base: 12 (oats) + 4 (flour) + 6 (sugar) + 24 (oil) + 4 (honey) = 50 SmartPoints
• Filling: 2 (blueberries) + 3 (honey) + 1 (cornstarch) = 6 SmartPoints
• Total for the entire recipe: 56 SmartPoints

Serving Size

If you cut the bars into 12 pieces, each bar would be approximately 4.67 SmartPoints (56 SmartPoints ÷ 12 servings).

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the Oatmeal Base:
   • In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
   • In another bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract.
   • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. The mixture will be crumbly.
3. Make the Blueberry Filling:
   • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, honey (or maple syrup), lemon juice, and cornstarch.
   • Cook for about 5-7 minutes, gently stirring until the blueberries start to soften and release their juices. Remove from heat.
4. Assemble the Bars:
   • Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form a base layer.
   • Spread the blueberry filling evenly over the oatmeal base.
   • Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the blueberries.
5. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
6. Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing. For best results, let them cool completely before cutting.

Storage

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. They can also be frozen for longer storage.

Enjoy your healthy and delicious blueberry oatmeal bars, and keep track of those SmartPoints!