So you know how mornings - especially school mornings - are about as painful as a trip to the dentist? It's always a pleasant and unexpected surprise when things actually go smoothly. I have two kids who have figured it out, do what they need to do, and then get out the door as needed. The third? Not so much.
To facilitate with easing morning angst, it helps to have a yummy breakfast (that isn't sugar coated, and has staying power with fiber and protein). These bars are a little messy, but that just means you shouldn't give it to them in the car. Use whatever fruit you might like ranging from rhubarb as mentioned, cherries, apples or what have you. I made these yesterday with cranberries and the boys that it was great.
Nut and Fruit Crumble Breakfast Bars
Original recipe found on Simplyscratch.com
Yield: 6-9 servings
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 - 2 cups all-purpose flour - 2 cups old fashioned oats - 1/3 cup light brown sugar - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt - 1/2 cup coconut oil - 8 tablespoons unsalted butter - 2/3 cup roughly chopped almonds, pecans, or other favorite nut, toasted - 1 1/2 cup tart fruit sauce or jam (I made a sauce of 2 cups chopped rhubarb + 1/3 cup sugar and a dash of salt, cooking on low until soft and jammy. You could use tart jam like raspberry or apricot or quickly soften any favorite fruits as mentioned above with the rhubarb).
-1/4 cup Demerara sugar
Directions Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Use a little butter to grease the foil. In a bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Use a wooden spoon to break up the brown sugar and mix all of the ingredients together. Next add in the coconut oil and melted butter, stirring until combined. Start with the smaller amount of flour, adding more until it seems cookie-dough like.
Press a little over half of the dough into the bottom of your prepared pan. Use your fingers to press and spread the dough on the bottom of the pan. Slide the pan on to the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove and allow cool for a few minutes. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile add the chopped nuts and the Demerara sugar to the remaining dough. Spread the fruit/jam onto the bars and spread, leaving a small border. Drop small blobs of the nut-studded dough on top of the jam and then slide back into your oven to bake for an additional 18 to 25 minutes, or when the almond crumble is lightly golden brown. Allow the jam bars to cool completely before cutting and serving. They will be a lot easier to cut and serve once fully cooled. The smell of the baked bars might make that a little hard to resist, though.