+GF
This is an adaption from my beloved morning bar recipe in my first cookbook Alternative Vegan. A splash of rose water extract perfumes the bars in a subtle floral aroma. Matched perfectly with strawberries, this sweet combination is an unexpected, yet outright delicious breakfast bar. —MR
MAKES 10 TO 12 SQUARES
BASE
1½ cups (120 g) GF rolled oats
¾ cup (84 g) cashews or almonds
2 tbsp (30 ml) date or maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (15 ml) melted coconut oil
¼ cup (60 ml) water
Pinch of sea salt
FILLING
½ cup (80 g) dried figs (cut off the hard stem on top if attached)
½ cup (85 g) pitted Medjool dates
1 cup (150 g) fresh strawberries
1 tbsp (15 ml) date or maple syrup
¼ cup (60 ml) water
⅛ tsp rose water/extract (optional, but adds a lovely floral aroma)
1 tbsp (8 g) arrowroot powder
TOPPING
¾ cup (60 g) GF rolled oats
1 tbsp (15 ml) date or maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tbsp (22 ml) melted coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
FOR THE BASE
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a small baking dish with parchment paper.
Add all the base ingredients to the food processor and blend for about 20 seconds, until part of the cashews have broken down and a solid batter has formed, sticking together. Press the batter into the lined baking dish, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Keep pressing it into the dish until a solid, tight base forms. Bake for 7 minutes. In the meantime, make the filling.
FOR THE FILLING
Add the figs and dates to a food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds to break them down into smaller pieces. Toss the strawberries into the processor as well and pulse for 10 seconds; we want to roughly chop the strawberries into smaller pieces.
Now add all the filling ingredients, except the arrowroot powder, to a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Then stir in the arrowroot and let it rest for a few minutes.
While that’s resting, mix all the topping ingredients together in a small bowl.
Assemble the bars by layering the strawberry filling evenly on top of the cooked base. Then add the topping over the filling, gently pressing down, covering the strawberry mixture below.
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes and then slice it into bars.
Note: For the filling, you can also use only dried figs if you don’t have dates on hand. But do not use only dates—this will make the bars overly sweet.