Sometimes you just want a simple, wholesome snack, which is exactly what this recipe seemed to be when I read through it the first time. Whole-wheat flour, spelt flour, oat flour, banana, rolled oats, and unsweetened jam… yes please! So, I put Vincent down for his nap and set to work in the kitchen.
I did replace the spelt flour and oat flour with whole wheat: Spelt flour is not a staple in my kitchen and although I’ve made oat flour in my blender before, I did not want to risk waking Vincent up from his nap. Also, the recipe did not specify how long to let the bars cool before cutting and serving. I recommend letting it cool completely because the bars live up to their name and crumble a bit, even when cool.
When I think of bars, I think of blondies and other chewy treats, so the cakey texture of the Jammy Oat-Crumble Bars pleasantly surprised me. Vincent and I both really enjoyed them. The oatmeal in the base and in the topping give a satisfying texture and the strawberry-guava jam I tried went well with their delicate taste. I thought I might like more cinnamon, but the ladies I shared this with at a church group loved the bars as-is. In fact, almost everyone (moms and kids included) got a second helping. I’m looking forward to trying these with other flavors of jam!
Recipe Link: http://www.parents.com/recipe/jammy-oat-crumble-bars/
