strawberry oatmeal breakfast bars

Banana Bread

Strawberry-Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These baked strawberry-oatmeal bars combine sweet summer strawberries with nutty, fiber-rich oats for a perfect snack or breakfast on the go. Or enjoy them with a dollop of yogurt or vanilla ice cream for dessert. Old-fashioned rolled oats are preferable here, as they absorb just the right amount of liquid while baking.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk milk, eggs, applesauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla, chia seeds, lemon zest, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until combined.
Fold oats and strawberries into the milk mixture until evenly coated. Spoon half of the oat mixture into the prepared pan; spread in an even layer. Spread preserves evenly over the oat mixture and spread the remaining oat mixture evenly over the preserves. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar over the top.
Bake until just set in the center and golden brown on top, about 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing.