PB& J Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Preheat oven to 350ºF and rub a 8×8 inch baking pan with oil.

In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt peanut butter and honey until smooth and melted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle coconut sugar on top and let stand for 5 minutes.

While coconut sugar stands, mix oats, oat flour, powdered peanut butter, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well mixed.

Whisk coconut sugar and peanut butter mixture. Add kefir, egg yolk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. The mixture will thicken a lot. Add dry ingredients into wet and whisk until well combined.

Spread 1/2 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread preserves evenly over top. Drop remaining dough in little clumps over top of the preserves and then use a spatula to smooth out to cover the preserves.

Bake until an inserted toothpick inserted comes out clean (a little bit of preserves on the toothpick is fine!) about 30–35 minutes. Place a hot pad into your refrigerator and place the pan immediately on it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, return to the counter and let the bars cool in the pan completely. Slice and devour!

Note: The refrigeration is the key to making them soft and chewy as it rapidly stops the cooking time. Don’t leave the bars in there longer than 15 minutes though or you will heat up your fridge!