Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bar (low sodium)

 

This is a low sodium apple oatmeal breakfast bar/snack cake that you can eat for breakfast or any time of the day. It's also a great coffee cake. I have used a variety of oat products so it's very dense and filling. The steel cut oats give it a nice chewy texture and you can use any combination of spices that you like e.g orange zest, ginger, cardamom etc. The good thing is that it's not too sweet so you can top it with stewed or fresh fruit in season. The juice or liquid from the stewed fruit will be soaked up by the breakfast square and that makes it become moist like a pudding!

If I freeze the squares, I usually take them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw out in the refrigerator. The next morning, I wrap the square in a damp paper towel and warm it up gently in the microwave using low power. 

Variations: If you don't like the gritty feel of steel cut oats, soak them beforehand in some hot water for about 30 minutes. Drain the liquid through a strainer If this variation is selected, the baking time may be prolonged by an extra 5-7 minutes) and the consistency of the final product is more like baked oatmeal, not like a "cake". In addition to the apples, you can sprinkle a few blueberries on top of the mixture in the pan.

Juice and zest of 1/2 a large lemon may also be added to the apple juice mixture is you like a slightly tart taste to the oatmeal.

1 cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup steel cut oats

½ cup oat bran

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon low sodium baking powder

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

½ cup half and half

3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey or a mixture of both

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 Granny Smith apple, seeded, and peeled, cut into cubes.

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

 

1.     Line the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Grease sides and set aside

2.     Mix together the oats, bran, flour, low sodium baking powder, and spices in a bowl and set aside

3.     Mix the apple juice and butter in a small saucepan or measuring cup. Heat over the stove or in a microwave (if using the measuring cup) until the butter is melted. Add this to the cubed apple and set aside to cool to room temperature.

4.     Lightly whisk the egg, half and half, maple syrup and brown sugar. Mix in the vanilla and melted butter. Add the liquid mixtures to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Let stand for about 15- 20 minutes so that the dry mixture can absorb the liquid. You can sprinkle some thick cut old fashioned oats on the surface at this point (1-2 tablespoons)

5.     Bake for about 35 minutes in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool, invert then cut into slices of a size of your choosing (I cut into 9 square bars).

6.     Store in refrigerator or wrap and freeze.Top with your favorite fresh or stewed fruit.