Snow Day Recipe #2 - Pumpkin Butter Oat Bars!

It's dessert time!  I know these bars are not 100% Paleo, but I personally have been incorporating some grains back into my diet and my gut has handled them just fine.  For the most time, I occasionally eat oats, quinoa, and rice.

I made these bars for a staff Halloween party and they were a HUGE hit.  Even though it's not fall anymore, I still love anything and everything pumpkin during the cold winter months. :)

Pumpkin Butter Oat Bars

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Pumpkin butter recipe borrowed from Fast Paleo

Yield: 12-15 bars (depending on what size bar you want!)

Ingredients

For Oat Base

• 1.5 cups gluten free oats (I generally use Bob's Red Mill brand)
• 1/2 cup almond flour + 1/2 cup cashew flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 chia egg (1 Tablespoon chia seeds + 4 Tablespoons warm water, mixed well and set aside for 5 minutes - The chia seeds can be substituted with flaxseed meal as well)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)

For Pumpkin Butter

• 2 cups dates, pitted and soaked for at least 1 hour (can leave overnight)
• 14 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For Candied Pecans

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans

Directions
Start with the Candied Pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F for toasting the pecans.
2. Add your chopped pecans to a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes.  Check every few minutes to make sure they do not burn.  Remove from oven and place in a large bowl.
3. In a medium sized pot, add all the ingredients for the candied pecans (EXCEPT the pecans) and heat over medium while constantly stirring.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low-medium to simmer.
5. Stir the mixture for about 10 minutes, being careful not to let it burn, until it turns thick and caramelizes.
6. Once thickened, immediately remove from the stovetop and pour into the bowl with the pecans.  Immediately begin stirring the mixture to completely coat all the pecans.

Then make your pumpkin butter

1. Place your dates in a food processor (make sure you drain off the water used for soaking first).
2. Blend dates until smooth.
3. Add in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Blend until smooth.

Finally make the oat base to put it all together!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (This can be done after you remove the pecans from the oven as well).
2. In a small bowl, mix your chia egg and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients for your oat base (oats down to coconut sugar).
4. In a smaller bowl, mix the wet ingredients for your oat base (chia egg down to coconut milk).  Stir well.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix together well.  Set aside just less than 1/2 cup of the oat base if desired to use as a topping later.
6. Line a 9X9 square baking dish with parchment paper and oil the sides (if you do not have parchment paper be sure to oil the whole dish).
7. Pour the oat mixture into the square pan and press down evenly.
8. Pre-bake the oat base for approximately 15-18 minutes.  Remove from the oven.
9. Pour 1.5 cups of pumpkin butter on top of the oat base and carefully spread evenly (be careful not to pull up the oat base).
10. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of the oat mixture on top of the pumpkin butter along with your candied pecans.
11. Return to the oven and bake for an addition 15-17 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
13. Place the finished oat bars in the freezer for at least 1 hour before slicing and removing the bars form the pan.

*Note: These do best when stored at a cold temperature.  I would recommend keeping them in the freezer if you are not planning on serving them right away, then remove 1-2 hours before serving to begin thawing.

-Brought to you from Erin's Kitchen