EARLY MORNING FRUIT BARS, SUGAR FREE
Sharing Mountain Recipes
by Randi Lee Levin
This is one of those recipes that can honestly be enjoyed any time of day. However when I first began making these, many said that they were like a breakfast cereal bar, only better. So for all of you out there who begin the day with prepackaged breakfast items, why not start early with a bit more nutrition supplied from these easily assembled, scrumptious, fruity treats?
Makes 9-12 bars
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) canola oil or melted margarine
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons oats
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained of juice
• 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained of juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup raspberry jam (sugar-free jam works fine)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F
1. Mix together the oil/margarine, oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon until ingredients hold together and crumbs begin to form. The dough will be somewhat moist.
2. Remove 1 1/4 cups of this mixture and place in a small bowl to use for the topping
3. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan with butter, margarine or pan spray.
4. Evenly press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake crust for 20 minutes while preparing the filling.
5. For the filling, place the blueberries, raspberries, jam and Wi tablespoons of flour into a medium bowl and gently mix until the jam is thoroughly incorporated.
6. Remove the bottom crust from the oven after 20 minutes and immediately spread filling evenly and completely over crust.
7. Remix the reserved crumbs to further break them up, sprinkle them over the filling and bake another 20 minutes or until the topping is golden. Allow to cool prior to cutting into 9 or 12 pieces. Cover the leftovers in the pan with plastic wrap.
Variations:
Raspberry jam with blackberries; apricot jam with peaches; blueberry jam with blackberries; or any combination of the fruits given. (Strawberries get too mushy in this recipe.)
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