Baked Peanut Butter & Oat Bars

Excerpted from hot for food all day by Lauren Toyota. Copyright © 2021 by Lauren Toyota. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.”

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I don’t want to knock oatmeal—it’s filling and healthy—but I’m not the biggest fan of mushy porridge for breakfast. I make it ’cause it’s quick, but with a little planning you can bake that oatmeal with peanut butter into a bar dolloped with your fave jam . . . now we’re talking. These are just the right amount of soft and chewy and make another great grab ’n’ go brekky. - Lauren Toyota

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Ingredients...

• 1 tbsp golden flaxmeal
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oat (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour (or substitute arrowroot flour)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup natural crunchy or smooth peanut butter
• 3/4 cup non-dairy beverage (oat, almond, soy etc)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup favourite jam

Method...

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, cutting two strips, both 8-inches wide and crossing them in the pan to create clean edges. Trim the excess overhang, if needed.
3. Combine the flax meal and water and set aside to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, coconut sugar, tapioca flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
4. In a large liquid measuring cup or another mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, nondairy milk, and vanilla with the thickened flax meal mixture until smooth. Add this to the mixing bowl of dry ingredients and fold together until fully combined.
5. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking pan all the way to the edges. Take a dough cutter or knife and lightly score or mark every 2 inches across in each direction, creating the indented lines for 16 square bars. Do not cut through the pan of oat bars at this stage.
6. Dollop about 1⁄2 teaspoon of jam on top of each square and gently press it with the back of the teaspoon into the top of each bar.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the bars look soft and raised. Cool in the baking pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before lifting out by the parchment paper edges and placing onto the wire rack. Slice bars where you made the scores.
8. Cool completely before storing leftovers in the fridge. You can warm slightly in the microwave for 30 seconds before eating. Consume within 7 days.