PB&J Bars (GF, Vegan)

Sweet fruity jam mingles with chewy peanut buttery layers for a perfect play on the classic PB&J sandwich. Great for a snack, great for dessert. A soon-to-be back-to-school tradition!

Prep: 15

Cook: 30

Total: 45

Yield:24 people

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rolled oats divided
1 cup flour brown rice
½ cup almond meal almond meal
½ cup flour chickpea
½ cup vegan butter spread like Earth Balance
2 whole flax eggs mix 2 tablespoons freshly ground flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons warm water and set aside til the consistency of a beaten egg
½ cup peanut butter natural
1 cup jelly your choice of flavor
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder baking powder
1 teaspoon pinch of salt to taste
½ cup sucanat or other unrefined dry sugar
¼ cup honey (sub 1/4 cup agave if vegan)
¼ cup agave nectar agave nectar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Blitz 1 cup of rolled oats in food processor or blender until a fine powder. Combine flours, almond meal, rolled oats, oat powder, sucanat, baking powder, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Cut in butter and peanut butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Then add in liquid sweeteners (agave nectar and honey, or all agave), vanilla extract, and flax eggs and mix well.
Press 1/2 of mixture into a 13x9" pan that's been greased with coconut oil or butter. Spread jelly over peanut butter mixture then crumble the remaining peanut butter mixture over the jelly layer.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top begins to brown. Cool then cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Feel free to sub 3 cups flour for the cup of blitzed oatmeal (keep the other 1/2 cup of whole rolled oats), all brown rice flour, all almond meal, and all chickpea flour.

*Feel free to sub butter for the vegan butter spread.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik