Something We Feel Less Guilty Eating!

Sheesh...such high standards & expectations!! How does a girl manage to meet all your healthy requirements & still feel unrestricted & bake up a YUMMY treat? Well, it ain't easy, but with Dreena Burton's help, I managed to put something half way decent together. Coconut Raspberry Squares...these aren't quite a bar & they aren't quite a cookie, I guess it's somewhere in between a granola bar & a fruit breakfast bar/fig newton, except with lots of coconut. My bottom layer didn't come out as thick as I see in her picture, but they tasted good nonetheless...not too rich, not too buttery, not too oily, & not too sweet, just a healthier treat! :)

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Coconut Jam Squares
Bottom Layer:
1 cup flour (1/4 cup spelt flour + 1/4 cup barley flour)
2 tblspns sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tblpns oil (butter)

1 1/4 cup flaked coconut, unsweetened

1/4 cup vanilla rice milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
1/2 cup jam preserves (mixed berries)

Topping:
1/4 cup flour (brown rice flour)
pinch of salt
2 tblspns oil (butter)

1/2 cup rolled oats

• Preheat oven 350F and grease 8X8 pan with butter.
• For the bottom layer: in a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt & butter, use a dough cutter to thoroughly combine. Stir in flaked coconut.
• To the dry mixture, add the milk, syrup & extracts. Stir till just combined.
• Press this mixture into prepared pan, press & flatten down with spatula.
• Spread jam over this layer.
• For the topping: in a clean bowl, use a dough cutter to coarsely combine flour, salt & butter to create coarse crumbs. Add in rolled oats & combine.
• Sprinkle topping over jam/preserves & slightly press down.
• Bake for about 30 minutes till top is light brown & jam bubbling. (Mine didn't bubble, I think the flour absorbed most of the moisture.)
• Remove from oven & allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
• Makes 9 large squares or 12 - 16 smaller pieces.