Now that we have a wee one chowing down but not always on what I hope for, I found myself constantly worrying about the nutrients he wasn’t getting and doing all that I could to pack as many good things into the food I could get him to eat.  The psychology of food and it’s impact on our wellness is a struggle for me.  How to keep a balanced diet while also keeping a balanced budget is a large part of it.  When it’s a tight week and I have to make the most of our weekly food budget, sometimes it’s tough to not fall back on carbs to fill the gaps.  On the days that E won’t eat anything other than cheddar bunnies and pasta wheels, I needed something that he wouldn’t be able to turn down and packed a nutrient filled punch to that little belly.  I’ve made a few jackpot discoveries in the healthy-things-he’ll-more-then-likely-never-turn-down category.  There’s a lentil veggie mush that he’ll pretty much always eat, yogurt and avocado.  The most recent find are these snack bites.  I knew he liked peanut butter but didn’t seem to like it with bread which made it difficult to get it into his regular diet.  Being that he’s eaten every last drop of our canned applesauce stash I had a thought to take my fav no bake cookie recipe and turn this easy-to-make peanut butter treat into a healthy, portable high protein snack.  I’ve made them 4 or 5 times now and have adjusted the recipe slightly since my first attempt but each time he still shoves every piece in his mouth, whole.  He loves them and being made with oats, applesauce and peanut butter, they’re packed with vitamins, protein, fiber and other goodies, are low in sugar and contain no sodium.  On top of all that, the hubs enjoys them too.  I’m calling it an ultimate win.  This is one of the first recipes I’ve developed that I’m sharing with the outside world so I would be so very grateful to hear from you.  If you make these super easy and delicious treats, please let me know what you think of the ease (or challenges) you had following the recipe and most importantly, what you think of the end result!  I thank you greatly in advance!  ENJOY!       

Apple & Peanut Butter Oat Snack Bites
4 Tbsp of Butter (1/2 of a stick)
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. Milk
1/4 c. Applesauce
1/2 c. Creamy Vermont Peanut Butter
3   c. Oats
1 tsp Cinnamon 

1.  Put the oats and cinnamon in medium size metal bowl.
2.  Add the butter, sugar and milk to a small saucepan.  
Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes stirring once or twice.  
Turn off the heat and add the applesauce and peanut butter.  
Stir until well combined.  
3.  Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats and 
stir until well combined. 
4.  Line a rectangle backing dish with tin foil and grease. 
5.  Pour the mixture into the baking dish and flatten with a spatula.
6.  Put it in the refrigerator.  I recommend overnight.  

Once it has cooled and has a chance to dry out slightly, pull the 
whole thing out using the tin foil.  Place on a cutting board and 
cut into the square size that's appropriate for you and your family!  
Our little dude tends to shove the whole piece in his mouth so I cut 
them in approximately 1" square bites.  

Additions and Substitutions:
*I most recently added 1/2 c. of dried cranberries to this batch.  
This is a new treat we've found that E enjoys so we'll see how he 
likes them in his fav snack.
*Other tasty and healthy additions you could consider would be 
pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, your families favorite dried fruits, etc.
*Some great nutrient boosters would be 2-4 Tbsp of ground flax seed, 
chia seeds or almond meal.
*A substitute I like to use for the butter is coconut oil.
*A recommended substitute for the brown sugar would be maple syrup, 
agave, or honey.  Each should have the quantity adjusted accordingly.
*A Substitute for the milk I recommend is Almond milk though it sets 
better out of the fridge if this is a sub you decide to make.  
*If using sweetened or seasoned apple sauce, adjust the cinnamon 
quantity to taste.



Note that I am currently employed by Vermont Peanut Butter though 
I truly believe it's the best nut butter on the planet.  
All of my opinions are my own.