it's strawberry season in ontario!!! who has already gone berry picking this month? we are going to go this weekend to pick strawberries + cherries at the local farm & i can't wait. this recipe features ontario berries i picked up at the market. i love the sweetness & flavour a homegrown strawberry brings to a dessert. i also included an unexpected herb into the mix.. fresh basil! my mom grows a ton of fresh basil & i thought it would pair perfectly with the strawberries.
the oat layers are a blend of bob's red mill all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats & almond flour. almond flour (also known as almond meal) are pure almonds that have been finely ground into a flour like consistency. it provides a wonderful nutty flavour. these bars are basically like a hand held fruit crumble, but better because the ratio of crumble to fruit is 2:1. crumble lovers unite!
ingredients
for the filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
for the oats
- 2 cups bobs red mill all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup bobs red mill almond flour
- 2 cups bobs red mill old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- vanilla glaze, for topping (optional)
directions
for the filling
- in a small mixing bowl toss together the strawberries, basil, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla & lemon juice until combined.
- set aside until ready to use.
for the oats
- preheat oven to 375(f) degrees. line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper (leaving a 2-inch overhang for easy removal).
- in a large mixing bowl stir together the flours, oats, sugar & salt until well blended.
- add the melted butter & vanilla. mix until a crumble texture is formed.
- transfer half of the mixture to the prepared baking dish & press down until firm.
- top with the strawberry filling & smooth into an even layer. sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture & gently press down to flatten.
- bake for 30 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly & top is golden.
- let cool completely before removing from dish & slicing. drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired!
