Healthy Vegan Granola Jam Bars, Perfect For A Snack Or Dessert
If you're asking me, a simple baked treat you can make in less than an hour—and eat for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert—is worth a place on any home cook's roster. So when the team at Thrive Market reached out about this recipe from their new cookbook Healthy Living Made Easy, which is available as of today on their website, I knew it was one we had to share.
"This cookbook is an extension of our vision," Thrive Market's co-founder Nick Green explains, "tangible proof that you don't need to spend a lot of time or money to make a meal for your family that's also mindful of your values and lifestyle choices." Since they're quick to make and easy to store, these bars are a perfect example of a family-friendly, make-in-advance treat.
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These jammy bars start with a base of oats, nuts, flour, and coconut sugar (brought together with coconut oil so they stay truly plant-based). The recipe calls for premade fruit spread—just be sure to check the ingredients and look for one without added processed sugars (yes, like the Organic Fruit Spreads from Thrive Market). Alternatively, you can create your own homemade jam.
The combination of the nutty (and nutmeg-y) base with a sweet fruit spread is lovely and particularly tasty if you opt for one with a bit of zing, like a raspberry, apricot, or even sour cherry. Though the base calls for nutmeg alone, you could play around with spices (like maybe add some cinnamon) as you try different fruits. One beauty of a recipe like this: It's so easy to personalize to your taste.
Granola Jam Bars
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups organic rolled oats
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup organic coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon organic ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup melted organic virgin coconut oil
- 1¼ cups Thrive Market Organic Fruit Spread (any flavor you'd like)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk flour, oats, walnuts, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Pour in the oil and stir until the mixture is coated with the oil.
- Press ¾ cup of the oat mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish. Spread an even layer of jam on the oat mixture. Sprinkle the remaining crust on top.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe excerpted with permission from Healthy Living Made Easy, exclusively available on ThriveMarket.com.
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Eliza Sullivan is an SEO Editor at mindbodygreen, where she writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She received a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in english literature with honors from Boston University, and she has previously written for Boston Magazine, TheTaste.ie, and SUITCASE magazine.