Blueberry Oatmeal Bars and a Happy 4th!…

Rise and shine…it’s running time!!  The hubs and I started our 4th of July with the Independence Day Run in Coronado…and we crossed the finish line hand in hand!  I got off to a great start and felt good the entire race, but was so bummed that I didn’t PR because there was so much bottle-necking on the course.  There were so many people that there was just no way to move ahead.  I tried to pick up my pace once we made it to the sidewalks, but at that point there was no way to make up the time I had lost.  I guess this means I need to sign up for another race! 

God Bless America!  Parking was a bear because of all the 4th of July festivities going on, so we ended up huffing it about 2 miles just to get to the registration area for the race!  We made it with about 20 minutes until start time….just enough time for me to make a quick potty trip, stash our bags and put on our bibs.

Everyone kept raving about the overcast weather and how perfect it was for running, but here I am bouncing up and down trying to keep warm before the start of the race!  Our picture tradition after a race…the hubs was still a bit out of breath and I was certain he was going to drop me, hence the grabbing of his hand!  Not my favorite picture, but it works!

 

Not much else is planned for our 4th of July, although a 4th of July nap sounds good right about now!  The princesses are pretty much begging to watch the fireworks this year, so we’re heading off to our church BBQ later this evening.  I thought I would stick with the “Blue” in the “Red, White and Blue” as I have a few blueberries left from our berry picking adventure. 

They’re just so sweet… not to mention so plump and juicy…. and full of healthy antioxidants!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

(inspired by Go Dairy Free)

Yields 12 bars

Ingredients:

Base and Topping:

1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup raw coconut crystals

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

6 Tbsp Earth Balance, melted

Filling:

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

3 Tbsp raw coconut crystals

2 tsp arrowroot starch

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, coconut crystals, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add the melted Earth Balance and mix with a fork until fully incorporated (it will be crumbly).  Reserve 1/2 of mixture for the topping.  Press the remaining crumb mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 12 minutes to set the crust.

In a small saucepan, stir in the berries, coconut crystals, arrowroot starch and lemon juice over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.  Stir occasionally until the juices are no longer cloudy, about 2-3 minutes.  Spread the filling over the crust.

Crumble the reserved mixture over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.  Enjoy!

A perfect treat for a summer picnic or BBQ!

Have a blessed and safe 4th of July!

Blessings,

J’lene

This post is also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays!