Tag: try something new

I took a stroll through my garden this morning to see how everything was doing, as we near fall and cooler temperatures approach. To my delightful surprise, I discovered quite a few strawberries in my little patch! I also found a lot of Cayenne peppers if anyone has some good ideas for those. My garden inspired this week’s healthy snack, Strawberry Oatmeal Bars. YUM!

For the Strawberry Bars:

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil – melted
• 2 cups small-diced strawberries
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon  freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon-ish of honey

For the Vanilla Glaze (optional, but huge yes)

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar – sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon milk – any kind you like

1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Pour in the melted coconut oil and stir until it forms clumps and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture, then press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Scatter half of the strawberries over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lime juice and drizzle honey. Scatter on the remaining berries, then drizzle more honey. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You will have some fruit showing through.
4. Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely (you can speed this process along in the refrigerator).
5. While the bars cool, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Feel free to add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle with glaze, slice, and serve.