This Calls for Some Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Date Bars

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah

It’s officially been 5 months since my marine deployed, and as with the other monthly marks, I’ve taken it as a chance to acknowledge my being an awesome military wife. In other words, I reward myself for getting through another month without having a complete emotional breakdown!

When he’s gone, I try to just take it day by day and not think too much of how much more we have to go. But, once we get to this point, I envision the deployment as a mountain we’ve been climbing up, and feel good in thinking that it’s all a downhill slope from here. Before I know it (or something like that…) my hubby will be home and we will have survived another deployment. To celebrate getting through 5 months, I’ve decided I’m going to treat myself to some new sneakers. I didn’t actually have the chance to pick them out today, but am very excited to get some new workout kicks sometime this week!

What I did do this afternoon was attend a coffee (military speak for get together of wives) at my friend’s house, where all of us ladies chatted and had lunch while the kiddies made welcome home signs for their dads, which was cute. I also had a yoga sess and went on an uneventful hike with Harley – no snakes, no dog attacks, no problem! And tonight I felt like having dessert and came up with these tasty bars: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Date Bars

Makes 6 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 flax egg (1 TBSP flaxseed meal + 2 TBSP water)
• 1/4 TSP baking soda
• 1/4 TSP salt
• 2 TBSP melted (light) butter
• 1/2 c old fashioned oats
• 1/2 c chopped dates
• 1/4 c semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, salt, sugar, oats, and baking soda in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix melted butter, flax egg, and almond milk together.

Combine the wet mix with the dry mix. Stir in chocolate chips, dates, and pecans, and mix together well.

Pour into a small greased baking pan. (Mine was 15 cm x 23 cm)

Bake until lightly browned, around 20-25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into 6 squares.

[Note the missing corner in the below picture where I was taste testing. Yum.]  Nutrition stats per bar: 240 calories, 10 g fat, 4 g protein, 38 g carbs