GDF- Apricot Oat Bars

  GDF- Apricot Oat Bars

  My First Gluten/Dairy -Free recipe of the New Year!

So I wanted to make a Healthy Snack since 
I'm on the New Year Resolution mode ...

Get Healthy , Eat right !!!

This Recipe inspired by Giada De Laurentiis- My Italian Chef Guru.

 I was gifted her latest cookbook-"Giada's Feel Good Food"for Christmas .

 I like to take her recipes and convert them to Gluten/Dairy -free 

 & 

Yes they are still so Yummy !!!!

These Apricot Oat Bars will be great for an afternoon snack !

Or 

A fuel treat before a workout !

Enjoy!!!!

You will need :

• Vegetable oil cooking spray 
• 9X13X2 Baking dish or pan 
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil

Ingredients

 

Filling

• 1 (13-ounce) jar apricot jam or preserves (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 8 dried apricots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup) 
• Fresh Squeeze of 1/2 of Lemon 

Crust

• 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)
• 1 packed cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups Gluten -Free old-fashioned oats (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup  non dairy butter spread, melted
• 1 egg, at room temperature, beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch metal baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper or foil . Spray the parchment paper or foil  with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.

 

Filling:

 In a small bowl, mix together the jam and the apricots. Set aside. 

Optional: Add Fresh Squeezed lemon .

 Crust: 

In a large bowl, whisk together the GF flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.

 Gluten-Free Flour

                                                                    Brown Sugar

                                                                      Baking Soda

Salt

 Cinnamon

                                                                        Mix until...

 All is well combined .

 Stir in the oats and walnuts. 

 First chop the walnuts into small pieces .

 Add nuts to mixture and stir all together .

Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated. 

 You can beat the egg in a separate bowl 

however...

I just beat in the egg on top of mixture ...

No need to dirty another bowl ..lol!

 Using a spatula or clean fingers, 

lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

 Using the back of a spoon or spatula , spread the filling over the crust 

leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pan. 

 Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. 

Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. 

Cool for 1 hour. 

Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

I'm eating this one ..!!!