N’Oatmeal Bars

This past weekend I went to see another chef, Chef Mario Batali, at a local grocery store.  I saw two quick demonstrations and then got his autograph.  I’m very excited to say in two weeks I will be going to see another famous chef.  She is one of my idols and I’m so excited!  I’m really enjoying these chef appearances.  Check out the pics of Mario below.  I took a plate to get signed.  I plan on collecting other chef autographs on the same plate.

           

I also took some time yesterday to bake a new recipe.  I haven’t baked anything in a while and was long overdue.  This recipe is not original.  I had read about it on some of the other blog sites I follow.  It sounded really good and I wanted to try it.  I made a few changes, so I’ll post the recipe as I made it, but you can click on the link to take you to the original recipe.

Almond Butter N’Oatmeal Bars
adapted from here
1 1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 chopped dried apricots
1 tsp. vanilla powder/extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/16 tsp. stevia powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
*1 gelatin egg

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8in. baking pan.
Mix the first four ingredients together.  Microwaving the almond butter for a few seconds helps.  Stir in the spices and baking soda.
Lastly, make and add the gelatin egg.  The batter will be thick.  Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 25 min.
Allow to cool and then refrigerate.
These are best served cold.

*To make egg replacer: mix 1 T. unflavored gelatin powder with 1 T. cold water.  Add 2 T. boiling water and mix until frothy and all gelatin is dissolved.  Add to batter like normal egg.  You could sub a real egg, a flax egg, or a chia egg.
The original recipe called for a chia egg, which I’ve used before and could have used here, but I’ve been reading of using unflavored gelatin to make an egg and I really wanted to try it.  I was happy with the turnout of the egg and will definitely be using it again.

These bars really do surprisingly taste like an oatmeal cookie bar.  I can’t believe it.  I really like the combination of apricot and almond butter, but raisins or other dried fruit could be used.  The bars definitely taste best cold.  Beware!!  Cold or not, they are very crumbly bars.  Enjoy over a plate!  I actually had trouble getting a decent picture because they were falling apart as I took them out of the pan.