Soft-baked oatmeal bars

A healthy gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free soft-baked oatmeal bar, full of soft and chewy oat-ey goodness!

We recently went on a camping trip (don’t ask – it was disaster after disaster, but overall we came out quite relaxed), and for the travelling snacks, we bought the kids some organic granola bars that didn’t require refrigeration, like so many of my favorite bars that I make.  Grant had one of these and challenged me to make a soft-baked oatmeal bar that didn’t require being kept in the fridge or freezer.  So, I went to it and the first time I tried something, it worked!  That never happens in reality, does it?

This recipe is adapted from so many different places, but it started out life as a no-sugar chocolate chip cookie pie from Chocolate Covered Katie but then I changed it around a little, taking out the chocolate (sob!) and a few other things, and adding a few other things in there as well.  I was pleasantly surprised … it was soft and chewy and yummy!  And Henry likes them too – haven’t told him the major ingredient is chickpeas/garbanzo beans yet!

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Soft-baked oatmeal bars

(Gluten-free, dairy-free, no refined sugar)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 18

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas / garbanzo beans drained (250g)
• 1 cup pitted dates 150g or about 9 Medjool dates
• 2 tbs honey 20g
• 1/3 cup almond milk 80g
• 2 tbs vegetable oil 20g
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins 50g
• 1/2 cup cranberries 50g

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9 x 9 square baking pan.

2. Place the chickpeas, dates, honey, milk and oil into a food processor and blend until completely smooth, or when there are no date pieces to be seen.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, baking soda, egg, cinnamon and vanilla relatively well (doesn't have to be totally mixed).
4. Add the chickpea mixture and combine well.
5. Fold in the raisins and cranberries until evenly dispersed throughout.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 mins.
7. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pan and cool completely before cutting into rectangles.