Baked Oatmeal Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish generously with coconut oil.

Step 2

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

Step 3

In a heatproof bowl combine the oats, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Stir to combine. Plop in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 5-10 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mash the bananas using a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the maple syrup.

Step 5

Pour the banana mixture over the oats (which will be quite clumpy at this point) and stir well to combine. Fold in the berries.

Step 6

Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish and bake 30 minutes, or until golden on top and around the edges. Let cool 5-10 minutes (the longer it cools, the easier it will be to cut). Cut into bars and serve warm or at room temperature.