Strawberry and lemon oat squares, a perfect combination of sweet and sour. These are great to make for an easy, on-the-go breakfast or a healthy snack. Full of whole grains, these oat squares are full of nutritious ingredients. In addition, this recipe is kid and family approved, perfect for everybody! Pack in school lunches for a sweet treat or healthy dessert.
Oats are a great whole grain to add into meals. They are extremely versatile and can be made into my delicious peanut butter granola or used in these chickpea meatballs. Being a whole grain, they are also very nutritious, being rich in antioxidants and full of fiber. Because they are full of fiber, they promote a feeling of fullness which in turn could aid in weight loss.
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Check Out Some of These Other Delicious Recipes
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- Toasted Vegetable Guacamole Sandwich
- Peanut Butter Granola
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Notes
- To make the recipe oil free, replace the coconut oil with a large tablespoon of applesauce and continue to step 4. The bars won’t be as crisp but more bread-like. However, they will taste just as delicious, just with a slightly different texture.
- Every few weeks, we put a handful of chopped, frozen lemons in the blender until the lemons are finely blended. Then, we will add scoops to water in order to fully get all the benefits lemons have to offer. We will also use it in recipes, like to the top of these strawberry lemon oat bars.
- If you don’t have fresh strawberries on, use frozen strawberries as they work perfectly. I like to microwave them until soft, then pour the leftover ‘juice’ on top.
Strawberry Lemon Oatmeal Squares
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup old fashion rolled oats
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbs melted coconut oil *see notes above for oil free
- 2 tbs maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- couple of strawberries
- blended lemon or lemon zest *see notes above
Instructions
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Preheat over to 350° F. Line 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a separate microwaveable bowl or glass measuring cup, melt the coconut oil enough to be a liquid without getting it too hot. About 20 seconds in the microwave.
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Add maple syrup, lemon juice, and almond extract to the melted coconut oil.
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Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring as your pour. Stir until everything is well combined.
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Pour most of the mixture into the pan, leaving about a handful in the bowl for later.
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Taking a silicone spatula or using your hands, firmly press the mixture into the pan. The better it is pressed together, the better it will stay together after being cooked.
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Chop strawberries and add to the top. Lightly press them into the oat mixture. Take the leftover mixture and sprinkle it on top and lightly press down, making sure everything is compacted together.
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Sprinkle lemon zest or ground lemon over the top.
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Cook in the over for about 25 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
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Once done, let the bars cool down before removing them from the pan. Cut into squares/bars and either wrap them individually in plastic wrap for an easy to-go snack or place all of them in an airtight container.
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Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.