This fail-safe pumpkin chocolate chip oaty protein bar recipe may be a mouthful, but we guarantee it's a tasty one. If pumpkins aren't your thing, you can always sub in banana.

 

1 cup pumpkin purée (or mashed banana)

100g coconut sugar

50g coconut oil, melted

1 egg (or flax egg - mix 1 tbsp ground flax with 3 tbsp water)

1 tsp vanilla essence

35g jumbo oats (or gf oats)

100g oat flour (I blend more jumbo oats)

55g vanilla vegan protein powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin spice (or more cinnamon)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

40g Island dark chocolate buttons (65%,  75%,  85%   or   100%) 

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC and line a cake tin (a square 7x7 tin works well).
• If making the vegan version, make your flax egg and set aside. 
• In a large bowl, mix together oats, oat flour, protein powder, spices, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, coconut oil, coconut sugar, flax egg and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry, combine, and then fold through the chocolate drops (if mixture is too dry, add a little water).
• Spread the mixture in to your baking tin and add a few extra chocolate drops on top.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, until just set - don’t over-bake, you want it on the gooey side. 
• Let it cool, slice, and enjoy slightly warm.
• Thanks to Sally Beck (@foodiefittwinmummy) for this wonderful recipe.