Pumpkin Flax Breakfast Bars

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There is so much I’m going to miss when my kids go back to school…sleeping in until the sun wakes us up, swimming until 10 pm, sneaking off to the park in the middle of the day, and gourmet, indulgent breakfasts. While there is so much to look forward to when it comes to a new school year, I’m admittedly dreading the morning rush. No matter how early I set the alarm, we found ourselves pushing the school bell limit last year, a pattern I don’t plan to repeat come Fall.

When I think about how I can help my kids start their school day out right, I realize that a nutritious breakfast is vital. In an effort to ease the stress of weekday mornings, I decided to compile a handful of easy breakfast recipes that I can make ahead of time. Hearty, whole grain muffins, baked egg dishes, and Homemade Granola are quick, easy breakfast ideas that can be prepared the day before. This week, I’m adding Pumpkin Flax Breakfast Bars to my recipe repertoire. These hearty, flavorful bars are easy to prepare, packed with vital nutrients, and absolutely divine.

While pumpkin may be a tad difficult to find at present, in just a few weeks the shelves will be stocked with canned varieties. I used this as a base for my Breakfast Bars and included oats, flax seed, pepitas, and dried cranberries. If you visit the produce section at your local Walmart, you’ll find a selection of nuts and dried fruit (some from local growers), which can easily be incorporated into your bars.

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Pumpkin Flax Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 T melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pepitas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper
3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside
4. Combine egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and canned pumpkin in a separate bowl
5. Fold wet ingredients in to flour mixture and stir to combine (avoid over-mixing)
6. Fold in dried cranberries and pepitas
7. Spoon breakfast bar mixture into baking pan and press to flatten into pan evenly
8. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes
9. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars

These Pumpkin Flax Breakfast Bars are best prepared the day before you plan to eat them. This will allow the bars time to set for easy cutting. The bars themselves are delicious and hearty. The brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice help create a pumpkin pie-like flavor which makes them very kid-friendly. If you plan to include them in your child’s lunch box for a morning snack, you could wrap them with parchment paper and twine with a note.

What are your go-to recipes for busy mornings during the school year? Share them below!

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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