
Apple and Pear Oat Bars
It feels like our book How to Feed a Family has been out forever but it hasn’t. Our lovely book is still just a baby, only on the shelves for four months. If it were an actual baby we’d be praying for it to sleep through the night but instead we just hope it helps families get through their evenings. (Well, we really hope it gets you through all your meal times not just dinner.) Since the book has launched, one of my favourite things to do is read the customer comments on amazon. I always kind of hold my breath when I go to read them though. When I click through I never know if there is going to be a mile long comment from someone who the book has failed miserably. Honestly, it would make me sick if I were to read something like that. We mostly have lovely, glowing comments but there are a few so-so ones. They make me wonder: Why didn’t they like the recipes they tried? Did something go wrong? Could we have said more to help? The book is so personal to us. It has our recipes, our stories and our families in it. And since it’s so personal, it’s hard not to have the chance to make it right by those folks.
Another thing I often do when I think about the book is kick myself for not making a recipe sooner. Like this one. This would have been a perfect inclusion for the snack section. Immune boosting apples, oats with their juicy phytochemicals and the natural sweetness of maple syrup. There’s also a little pear hug in them since I used Ontario’s Own Pear Puree. I love the company’s purees since they add natural sweetness and eliminate a step in preparation for me. If you don’t have any pear puree on-hand apple sauce would surely do the trick.
I hope you give these healthy bars a try and maybe you’ll even take the time to swing back to the site and leave your comment about them. After all, you know how I love the comments.
photos by Maya Visnyei
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup spelt flour
- 1 1/4 cup quick cook or rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pear puree
- 1 Gala Apple, peeled, sliced and diced
Method
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease an 9 inch square pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch edge at each side to help you lift the bars from the pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and baking powder.
Beat egg in a small bowl and then mix in the almond milk and vanilla extract.
Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and blend.
Add maple syrup and pear puree and stir until incorporated.
Fold in the apple pieces.
Pour into prepared pan and pop into the oven for about 25 –30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then lift parchment from pan and allow to cool completely.
Store in an air tight container for up to a week, if you can actually keep them around that long.
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1 Comment
Hannah Flack
February 26, 05:38this looks so delicious! My husband hates eggs, so I never make Frittata’s which is a shame. Have you tried freezing this or something similar. I’m thinking for my breakfast or lunch, I could make ahead. Let me know, much appreciated!