Raspberry Oat Bars

I’ve got several baked treats and desserts to share over the next couple days. They fall into that gray category of not being totally and completely decadent (i.e. full of butter) but also easily trick you into thinking ‘these aren’t bad, they could even be healthy, I can eat half the pan, it’s fine!’

Not that I would have any experience with this sort of thinking…

But anyway, in these weird times where emotions are high and kids are bored and there’s only so much Netflix you can consume in a day; a little baked treat might be just the ticket to fighting off boredom and easing the stress of the 24-hour news cycle.

Which by the way, have ya’ll been watching Tiger King? In all honesty, we’ve only watched two episodes but its so crazy and unbelievable I keep thinking about it. The boys have been watching a fair amount of Marvel movies after I impulse bought Disney Plus on our first day of quarantine.

I actually made these delicious oat bars last week. And in the week since I made them and initially opened this little square to jot a few words down, it feels like so much has changed. School is done for the year. Going to the grocery store requires a 12-step process to glove and mask and disinfect draining my already fragile emotional reserves. The kids have been home for just about a month and what started out as a fun ‘break’ is now starting to feel a little like the walls are closing in on everyone.

And yet….

After the breakdowns, and the messes, and the acceptance that no matter how much we (me) fight and complain and feel sorry for ourselves, this is the new normal. And the silver linings to this new normal are everywhere I look (when I actually make a point of looking around).

I connect with my friends and family more than before. We eat dinner every night together. I GET to be a much bigger part of my children’s education. There’s time every day to read, to go for long walks, to drink coffee on the couch. My restlessness is slowly fading, rearing up when I least expect it, but easing.

But anyway, oat bars. This recipe is so easy to throw together. They are naturally vegan, sweetened only with honey and SO delicious. I used raspberry jam because that’s my favorite but any jam will work just fine. Use whatever you have on hand. Which by the way, that blueberry chia jam recipe from last week would be lovely in this recipe.

Raspberry Oat Bars

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

• pinch of salt

• 1 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper (or spray lightly with cooking spray).

In a large mixing bowl combine oats, almond flour, coconut oil, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, almond extract and pinch of salt. Use a wooden spoon or clean hands to combine the ingredients until the mixture is crumbly and clumpy.

Press three quarters of the mixture into the 8x8 pan, making an even layer. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Spread the jam evenly over the oats. Crumble the rest of the oat mixture over the jam and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the jam is bubbling slightly on the edges and the top is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow too cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Lift bars out of the pan and cut into small squares.