Blueberry Crumble Bars

MAKES AN 8- OR 9-INCH SQUARE PAN · VEGETARIAN, VEGAN ADAPTABLE, GF ADAPTABLE, DF ADAPTABLE

Bursting with berries and a generous crumb topping, these bars are just sweet enough to be called a dessert but not so over the top that you’ll regret it afterward. The ingredients are simple and ones that you likely have in your pantry at all times. Defrosted frozen blueberries are perfectly acceptable to use when they are not in season. You can also substitute other berries (or mix and match!), if that’s what you have on hand.

Unrefined coconut oil or unsalted butter (not vegan/DF), for pan

BASE:

1¼ cups certified-GF oat flour (for GF), or whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour

2½ tablespoons pure Grade A maple syrup, maple sugar, or cane sugar

⅛ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter (not vegan/DF) or vegan organic butter, such as Earth Balance, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

BLUEBERRY FILLING:

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

3 tablespoons Grade A maple syrup or cane sugar

½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

½ cup muscovado sugar, coconut palm sugar, or light brown sugar

¾ cup certified-GF oat flour (for GF), whole wheat pastry flour, or a combo of GF oat flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour

⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (certified-GF if necessary)

1¼ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon sea salt

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (not vegan/DF) or unrefined virgin coconut oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking pan with unsalted butter or coconut oil and line it with unbleached parchment paper.

2. Prepare the base: Pulse together all the base ingredients in a food processor until you get moist crumbs. Press firmly into the prepared pan to form a smooth even layer. If it’s too sticky, you can use some plastic wrap under your fingers to help even it out. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Prepare the blueberry filling: In a medium-size bowl, toss the blueberries with arrowroot and maple syrup. Set aside.

4. Remove the base from the refrigerator and bake until just firm in the center, 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Spread the blueberry filling over the warm crust.

6. Make the crumble topping: In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the topping ingredients until you have made moist crumbs. Crumble over the blueberry filling.

7. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumble is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.

TIP: Blueberries are among the foods highest in antioxidants, which protect the cells from damage caused by free radicals. They are also rich in some very powerful phytonutrients, and have been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may help mitigate the effects of age-related conditions, such as dementia. Berries, in general, have less sugar than most other fruits.