Rhubarb, Almond and Oat Crumble Bars

These bars are so delicious and make a perfect gluten free, vegan snack for tea, to take with you on journeys, or served warm with vanilla nice cream after a meal.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes Cooling time: 1-2 hrs Makes: 10 bars

Ingredients:

Crust 90 g of gluten-free rolled oats 115 g of raw almonds (I used almond powder with no issues) 0.25 tsp of sea salt 3 Tbsp of date syrup* 4.5 tsp of coconut oil, melted

Filling: 250 g of rhubarb, stems removed, chopped into 1 cm pieces 175 g of strawberries (or raspberries), chopped into small pieces 60 ml orange juice 2 Tbsp of date syrup, plus more to taste 1 Tbsp of cornstarch

Crumble Topping: 3 Tbsp of date syrup 2 Tbsp of gluten-free flour 0.25 cup gluten-free rolled oats 1.25 Tbsp coconut oil

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/350°F and line an 8x8-inch brownie pan with parchment paper. 2. To make the crust, add oats, almonds, sea salt, and date syrup to a food processor and pulse until no large pieces remain and it resembles fine meal. Add the melted coconut oil and pulse to incorporate until a loose dough forms when squeezed between two fingers. Add more melted oil if too dry. 3. Spread the mixture into the lined baking dish and press down into an even layer with the tines of a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 190°C/375°F and bake for 5 minutes more, or until the edges are slightly golden brown and it smells fragrant. Put to one side.

4. In the meantime, add rhubarb, strawberries, orange juice, date syrup and cornstarch to a medium saucepan and warm over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes until slightly softened and bubbling. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Next prepare the crumble topping by adding all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and using a fork to mix the ingredients into a crumble. Set aside. Add the fruit mixture to the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Then sprinkle with the crumble topping and spread evenly to cover fruit.

6. Reduce oven heat back to 175°C/350 °F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit topping is warm and bubbling and the crumble is golden brown. 7. Remove the brownie pan from the oven and let it cool completely (1-2 hours). When cooled, slice into 9 squares or 10 bars. Eat and enjoy!

Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days, or the freezer up to 1 month.

Note: *You can replace the date syrup with coconut sugar or another sweetener of choice.

This recipe was inspired by Minimalist Baker.

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