Gluten Free Apple Oat Squares
This recipe caught my eye by its clickbait on Youtube (two apples and 3 ingredients). Not quite, especially after I am done tinkering with the recipe but quite good and very healthy—mainly to take out added sugar and decrease carbs. Passed the hubby and CC#2 test and a real keeper.
Ingredients:
2 large apples, cored and cut into large pieces (leave skin on but wash with baking soda to remove pesticide)
75g old fashioned oats, divided into 50g and 25g
180g nuts and seeds (you can play with the ration but I used 100g whole almonds, 20g chia seeds, and 20g of ground flax seeds, and 40g sesame seeds) , plus extra sesame seeds for sprinkling on the top before baking
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Handful of dried fruits (cranberries, apricots, and dates) chopped into small pieces
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp oil
Instructions:
In food processor, blend apples, cinnamon, baking soda, 50g oats, chia seeds, and all nuts and seeds together
Let mixture sit for 15 minutes to allow chia seeds to absorb moisture and soften
Stir in 25g of remaining whole oats (more if needed to make a stiffer dough if too wet) and dried fruits
Line small baking pan with parchment paper (crunch and release makes the paper stay flat)
Add oil and spread evenly on parchment paper
Press apple-oatmeal-nut/seed mixture onto baking pan and flatten and smooth out to about 1 cm thickness
Sprinkle with sesame seeds
Cut apple oat square before baking to aid seperation after baking
Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes until golden
Best to eat when cooled
Note: Next time I will add some ground cardamon and a little salt to make the flavor profile a bit more complex.