Oatmeal Cranberry Bars
Note/Suggestions: These hearty and delicious bars are a great snack and make a great fast breakfast with a glass of milk or yogurt drink. If you cannot get fresh cranberries, frozen will work too. I have made them almonds, walnuts and pecans. Use the nuts you like the best. Makes 1 dozen.Ingredients:
Topping:
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries, washed and drained
- 1 cup apple juice or cider, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup honey or agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
Bar:
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup nuts of choice, toasted and chopped
Directions
- Put cranberries, honey, juice and salt in a pot over a high heat until the cranberries start to pop; about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook the berries until the liquid is reduced by half; about 20 minutes; set aside to cool slightly
- Preheat oven to 350 degress.
- Coat a 9 x 7 x 3 Pyrex or ceramic baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
- In a food processor put all the bar ingredients, except the nuts. Pulse until the butter has been incorporated into the dry ingredients. Add the nuts and pulse to combine only.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping.
- Press the remainder of the oat mixture into the baking pan.
- Pour the cranberry mixture over the oatmeal mixture then top with the reserved oatmeal mixture.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm in the middle. Cool and cut into 12 bars. Cool completely before you remove from the baking dish.
- Replace the 3/4 cup of flour with 3/4 brown rice flour plus 1/4 teasppon of xanthum gum and use gluten free oats.
- Replace the butter with virgin coconut oil. It will have a slight coconut taste to it.



