It’s 4:00 and L rushes home from the bus and into the home, barely says hi and runs upstairs.
L, where are you going?
I have to get my baseball uniform on!
It’s the first travel game of the season and obviously, someone is excited.
We all were excited, actually. The baseball bag has been packed for a month. L has been training for months. The jerseys have been hung up ready to go and we all we just….waiting. Waiting for baseball, waiting for spring, waiting for summer.
And finally, it was time.
L rushes back down the stairs, completely geared up and plops at the kitchen counter. Our little tradition, I make him a plate of snacks and today’s was two grilled sliders, sliced red peppers, sun chips, grapes, and a few chocolate almonds. Not a morsel was left.
Mom, let’s GO!
L, we have like….an hour and a half.
Oh.
More waiting.
Finally, it was time.
I loaded up the Jeep with bags upon bags upon bags, L, B, picked up his buddy Andrew and we finally pulled into Field of Dreams.
The kids warmed up and it was time to play ball. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. Baseball is such an individual sport. All eyes are on you when you’re up to batt. All eyes are on you when you’re pitching (I can barely watch). If you drop the ball, literally, everyone knows. Yet these kids are 9 and they all will, at some point during the 40+ game season, drop the ball. That’s part of it.
We were into the second inning and L was up to bat. Gosh, when did he get so…..big? And confident? His mannerisms and attitude just seemed so controlled. Grown up. Where did this come from.
Big swing for a strike, here we go.
Pitch two and bam….he’s off and running. 1st base. 2nd base. 3rd base. They held him.
A buddy swings him home and he scores for the first time of the year. Yippee!
He runs into the dugout smiling and oh so hyped up and looks over and calls for me ‘mom, mom!!!’
These next few words would be so great, right? I’m hopeful he’s happy and proud of himself and less nervous and more confident and calling for his mother to tell me all about it. As I walk over to hear what he has to say the words come pouring out…….
‘Mom, I’m starving. I’m so hungry. Can you get me a hot pretzel? WITH CHEESE?’
Ah yes, there it is. Still nine years old.
Throughout the remainder of the game the kid had an apple, a cliff bar, a fruit leather and ended the game with a WIN and still, a hungry stomach.
It’s never ending, right? Keeping up with the growing kids appetite?
And just like that a solution was needed. A healthy, easy to eat, protein packed snack that’s just a bit more appropriate in the dugout than a hot pretzel. WITH CHEESE.
I whipped up these power bars the very next day to sample and they were a grand slam all around. I’ve got a feeling they will be on weekly rotation around here for the next few months.
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk (any kind works!)
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or crunchy—I used creamy)
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 medium banana, quartered and diced
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the milk, applesauce, egg, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir to combine . The batter will be very wet, that's totally ok. Fold in the diced banana, then pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until thickened and golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool, cut into bars, and serve.