Hello there friends! I have found by speaking with a lot of friends and clients these past few weeks that a lot of you might just have a little more time on your hands than normal to get in the kitchen and whip up some homemade goods. Many I know are still working, but given the shorter commute (gotta love some of the work-from-home perks) and the fact that many restaurants are closed, now is a great time to dust off the utensils and put together some yummy food at home. Plus, those snacks are only going to last so long, so why not add a few things to your repertoire that you can create out of pantry staples and prolong that next shopping trip?
Oats are something that I always have in my pantry--steel cut and rolled oats as they are both good for different preparations. After seeing that aisle in the store wiped out recently, I'm assuming many of you reading this most likely have some on hand, as well. Homemade oat bars are extremely versatile in that you can put some together with any number of ingredients you generally keep on hand. Though I used certain items I had in this batch, I'll try to give you some subs for what you might currently have in your own kitchen. Of course feel free to leave a comment if you have any particular questions!
Puffed amaranth.
I still have a bag of amaranth that lurks in my pantry, so I thought this was a great opportunity to puff some up in a pan and add it in for texture and a little nutty flavor. If you don't have any on hand, please feel free to omit! I know it is not something that I always buy but just happened to purchase a bag a while back to try it out. It works great in granola, as well, if you do happen to want to give some a try!
This combination was not too sweet, but had just enough fruit and maple syrup mixed in to satisfy that late afternoon snack monster that rears its head on me most days. With teaching more online classes lately I can definitely use a wholesome pick-me-up to keep me going for the next round of clients. Though pumpkin is usually reserved for fall recipes, I still have a few bags of roasted, pureed heirloom pumpkin in the freezer to use up. You can easily use canned if you don't have homemade, as canned pumpkin is another pantry staple I love to keep on hand. I'll toss it in oatmeal, smoothies, or even curries (like I have on the stove right now) to add a creamy texture or that extra hit of vitamins and other nutrients. It's a great way to get kids to eat some veggies without even realizing it!
Alright, I'm keeping my "chatter" short and sweet to get right to the recipe. I'm sure that's what most of you pop by here for anyway. Happy and health snacking!
Pumpkin Oat Bars
Makes 8 bars
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup golden raisins (sub dried cranberries, regular raisins, or chopped dates)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or any other nut/seed you like)
- 1/4 cup puffed amaranth
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (about 1 15-ounce can)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or date paste
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.
Place your dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Next add in the pumpkin and maple syrup and combine all of the ingredients. If it seems a little bit dry you can add a few tablespoons of water or plant milk. My puree was more moist than most canned I have gotten in the past, so I didn't need any extra liquid.
Scoop out the mixture into the prepared dish and evenly spread it out. Place uncovered into the oven and cook for 35 minutes. Let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting and enjoying! These are more of a soft bar, but I would imagine a little less wet ingredients would yield a crispier result. Perhaps an option to explore for the next round...
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