Our summers tend to be pretty busy and it seems we are always on the go to the pool, park or beach.  Finding delicious, portable and easy to pack snacks is something I am always on the lookout for.  I love this easy to make oatmeal bar.  You can use just about any type of fruit and in the summer time I love using the seasonal peaches, cherries, blueberries, nectarines and raspberries.  You can even mix and match your fruit to create whole new flavor combinations.  While I use this recipe mostly for snack bars you can serve this dish warm from the oven for an amazing breakfast crisp.  It’s sweet enough that it can also be a yummy dessert and can be served at room temperature for those warm summer nights when you don’t feel like something hot.  Gotta love recipes that can multi-task!

Sarah

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup flour of your choice (whole wheat, brown rice, spelt or whole wheat pastry flour all work great)
• heaping 3/4 cup coconut crystals
• 1/2 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance Organic Whipped Butter, chilled
• 4-5 cups fruit of your choice (sliced, peeled and pitted if necessary) OR 2-3 cups unsweetened fruit preserves or jam

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8×8 glass baking dish and set aside.
3. Mix the first 4 ingredients together until you have a wet, sand like consistency.  Transfer all but 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish.
4. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon and press the mixture firmly into the dish in an even layer.
5. Add the prepared fruit or preserves to the dish and spread out in an even single layer.  Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top until evenly covered.
6. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes for fresh fruit or about 30-40 minutes for fruit preserves.  Baking time will vary depending on the type of fruit used so make sure to keep an eye on the dish.  The bars are done once the fruit is tender and the crumble top is golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator.  Let the dish cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Yield:

Makes 12 snack sized bars.

Notes:

The bars hold together well so I like to wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for an easy to grab snack on the go.  They will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge. The bars can be brought to room temperature if you prefer to serve them that way.

Summary

Recipe Name

Oatmeal and Fruit Snack Bars

Author Name

Sarah

Published On

2019-10-19