I’m not fancy, but there are a few foods that I try to buy organic 83% of the time. My list is partially inspired by the dirty dozen, partially inspired by my wallet/mood/horoscope. Apples are one of those foods I really try to buy organic, but that means they’re expensive!
So, I was a little pissed last week when I bit into my organic five dollar apple and it was ashy. Boo. Not cool. #FirstWorldProblems to the max so I should just shut it, but it’s part of the story so go with me here.
I wasn’t about to throw it away. So, I had to think fast. I decided to whip up a batch of Pre-Workout Bars with all the essentials of a before sweat session snack:
Carbs for energy
Fat for satiation
Chia seeds for magical running powers (+fiber & omega-3)
Salt for sodium
Apples for appleness
Boom. And so my Pre-Workout Apple Chia Bars where born.
Pre-Run Apple Chia Bars Recipe
Ingredients:
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1/2 cup peanut butter
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1/2 cup oats blended to flour
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1/2 cup oats
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1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
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1 egg
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2 Tb chia seeds
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1/2 heaping cup grated apple
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1/2 tsp vanilla & baking soda
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1/2 tsp salt
- add – milk sub to make batter-like if it’s too thick
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optional: cranberries or raisins for extra sweetness and chew!
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grate apple to make a heaping 1/2 cup (this was one very large apple for me). My apple was very water-y which added to the liquid in this recipe. If yours is dry you might want to add a splash of liquid.
Mix wet ingredients. If PB is too thick nuke it for a few seconds to make it easier to mix. Then mix, dry ingredients. If batter is too thick to pour add a few splashes of milk. Combine and pour into a well greased square 8×8 baking pan. Bake until set about 20 minutes and let cool completely before cutting. Store in fridge.
Enjoy before a run!
Or after your run with a glass of milk for some extra protein!
(These are another version I made that didn’t have enough carbs for pre-run fuel.)
Question: What fruit do you want to marry?
I want to marry watermelon! Obviously.
I don’t use sugar so can I substitute honey?
Just made these. Amazeballs!!!
Glad you liked them!
Hi there! I used your recipe to bake bars (though I changed apple for banana) and it turned out AWESOME! Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
These look great, can’t wait to try them!
Your first world problem turned into a third world solution. Great and creative work not being wasteful.
Cantaloupe. Can’t wait to try this recipe! My 3 year old will probably marry an apple soon- that’s all he wants to eat these days. He’s going to love these
My food experiments never turn out that well!
I would totally marry raspberries. Lots of them.
Haha I love the graphic that says it’s more expensive because a cow pooped all over it. I don’t usually buy organic, and the one time I did, I bought some avocados (LOVE avocado) only to go home and find out they were bad. I was so mad! After spending like $10 on three avocados I decided that I wouldn’t be buying organic anymore!
Not sure if I’m ready to propose but i’ve been loving blackberries lately….we’re still in the woo-ing period.
I would marry a strawberry and divorce a banana. Sorry banana, its just not working out.
What’s wrong with you and banana?
Those look delicious! Great idea to use up your not so great apples. Mine usually just sit in the crisper until they’re wrinkly and I finally throw them away!
Mangos. I want to marry a mango! These look yuuuuuumy!
I bought a mango last week and it was the best thing ever! So good.
Can I use instant oats instead of the regular oats?? I would marry a mango. 🙂
Yes 🙂
Is that a Red Delicious? Those turn mealy so fast! Especially when you consider it was harvested months ago and has been sitting in a gassy warehouse. I’m having good luck with Fuji and Pink Ladies lately, but I live in the apple state (WA) so I’m spoiled.
Yeah, it was a red delicious – that wasn’t too delicious.
I want to marry a peach. A big, plump, dark blush colored, super fragrant California peach. We will live happily, ever-after! 😀
You are truly creative!
I’m trying these chia bars as soon as I can get out of the house to the store – snowed in again. I won’t be running outdoors in the near future!
I might tweak the recipe by reducing the brown sugar (gotta keep true to the low sugar eating plan!).
Head’s up – I made them with protein powder instead of sugar and they were super super dry.
Thanks for the head’s up.
Good job on salvaging that apple and turning into a cool recipe! Did you use 1 cup of oats total? I hate thinking about the dirty dozen. I read a book by Jillian Michaels last year about all the crap in our food & water that messes with our metabolism. It really grosses me out.
Yes, 1 cup of oats total – 1/2 blended into flour.
What oats did you used? Rolled oats? Steel cut? What about quick cooking oats?
I want to be a watermelon too! They’re amazing 🙂 I need to try those bars out. I have bunch of apples I need to use and this seems perfect. Thank you.
Those bars look gooood… I didn’t know chia seeds had magical running powers. Will have to try them. How much faster can I expect to run after I eat them?
Like, super faster. At least in your head.