Bountiful Blueberry Crumb Bars
Alisa Fleming ~ Several summers ago, when my husband and I lived in British Columbia, I was spoiled by the bountiful supply of inexpensive blueberries. Our local farmer’s market store, just a pleasant stroll away, was literally clearing them out for just $1.99 a pound! Needless to say, we stocked up. I believe I dedicated an entire afternoon to properly cleaning and freezing at least 15 pounds of those little blue delicacies.
With a freezer full and a few pounds left to go, it was time to start eating! Beyond our morning smoothies, a little treat seemed in order. So, I called upon this recipe for blueberry crumb bars, which I originally discovered in an issue of Woman’s Day. Since the first time that I made these dairy-free crumb bars, I’ve played around quite a bit with the recipe, but the simplicity of the original recipe is still a house favorite.
Of course, you can adapt these dairy-free crumb bars to whatever fruit you have on hand. They will be equally delicious with strawberries, apples, or even cherries.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (i like quick oats, not to be confused with instant oats)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour (see below for gluten-free option)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (can sub coconut / palm sugar if desired – it will be just a little less sweet)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted (can sub 1/3 cup coconut oil or palm shortening)
- 1-1/2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons sugar (can sub honey or maple syrup, if desired)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Add the melted margarine and stir with a fork until evenly combined and large crumbs form.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture for topping.
- Press the remaining mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
- Bake for 12 minutes to set crust.
- While that is baking, combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan, whisking until the starch dissolves.
- Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juices are no longer cloudy, about 2 minutes.
- Spoon the filling over the baked crust and evenly crumble the reserved crumb mixture over top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely in the pan, before cutting into squares.
Notes
Gluten-Free Option: You can substitute your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the flour – preferably one with a little xanthan or guar gum in it.
This recipe is Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, optionally Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, and optionally Soy-Free.
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/vegan-blueberry-picnic-crumb-bars
Tagged barbecues, egg-free, food allergy-friendly, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, summer, vegan, vegetarian
