I wouldn’t call myself a procrastinator in most areas of my life, with the exception of a few things such as business taxes, receipt entering, and organizing my Recipes page. I usually accomplish my tasks before they are ‘due’ without feeling in a panic and I also like to arrive early for meetings, appointments, and dates. Yesterday, my Project Food Blog entry was almost finished by mid-afternoon, save for a few last minute edits. It wasn’t due until 6pm, so I had time on my side. I started working on other things and all of a sudden it was 5:40pm. Eric said, worried, ‘Aren’t you going to upload your post?’
I figured I still had quite a bit of time left so I kept working on things. At 5:45pm and I hit publish, thinking nothing of it.
And that is when I realized that our internet connection was dead.
Stay calm.
Luckily, after a few minutes the internet started to work again! I thought all was fine and dandy and I hit publish again. Painful minute after painful minute passed and it still had not uploaded. We have a very slow internet connection and I was convinced that Live Writer was going to time out on me. Finally, it posted at 5:58pm and I submitted the post in my Foodbuzz profile. I was just under the wire by mere seconds.
Moral of the story: Never put your faith in technology. It will go wonky at the last second and your blood pressure will go through the roof.
If this stress-inducing episode occurs, you can comfort yourself by making oat squares, with a healthy twist. I had strawberries leftover from the dessert pizza I made on the weekend, but you could also use pre-made jam too.
Or just eat Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache and call it a day. Both methods are completely acceptable.
Healthy Strawberry Oat Squares with Homemade Jam
Ever since I was a young girl, I have loved strawberry oat bars and I would often have Strawberry nutrigrain bars in my lunches. While these squares aren’t a nutri-grain bar, the taste is similar. I have made this popular square much healthier, cutting the sugar and butter by half, and of course, it is vegan too. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. You won’t be able to stop at just one. Or three!
Adapted from Food.com.
Ingredients:
For Oat Base:
- 1.5 cups regular oats
- 1 cup whole-grain Kamut flour (or mix of white and whole wheat)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup Sucanat sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds+ 4 tbsp warm water, mixed)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Earth Balance, melted
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (for topping only)
For Strawberry chia seed Jam:
Ingredients:
- 2 & 1/4 cups chopped strawberries, finely chopped into 1/4 inch pieces OR approx 1 cup pre-made jam
- 3-4 tbsp sugar, to taste (liquid or dry sweeteners will work)
- 1-2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square pan (I used a 9×9) with parchment paper and oil the sides of the pan and base.
For the jam: In a medium sized pot, add the chopped strawberries and sugar. Heat over medium until the strawberries begin to sweat and it gets a bit watery. Once it cooks down a bit, add in the chia seeds, and stir well. Bring to a low boil and then simmer over low to medium heat for at least 10-15 minutes. Once it has thickened a bit, remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and cool for 15-30 mins (you can pop it in the fridge or freezer to cool quicker). I like to add the mixture to a mini food processor and process it until mostly smooth.
In a small bowl, mix the chia or flax egg and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the oat base dry ingredients: oats, flour, Sucanat/brown sugar, baking soda, salt. In a small bowl, mix the melted earth balance, maple syrup, almond milk, and chia egg. Stir well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well, using hands if necessary. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dough for the topping. Pour the oat mixture onto the square pan and press down with fingers. Use a pastry roller to smooth out if desired. Pour on strawberry mixture and smooth out. Now sprinkle on the reserved 1/2 cup oat mixture and sprinkle on. Now sprinkle on 1 tbsp of sesame seeds or coconut. Bake at 350F for approximately 30 minutes. Allow to fully cool for at least 30-40 minutes before gently removing from pan. Slice and then store in a container in the fridge to keep firm.
In my first attempt at making the strawberry ‘jam’ I added in a tablespoon of cornstarch after about 10 minutes of cooking. I was left with clumpy white bits of cornstarch throughout. Flop #1. I think I should have thinned it out with a bit of water first.
Second batch:
For the second batch of jam, I thickened it up with chia seeds! Arrowroot powder might work well too.
Spread your delicious crumbly mixture into the pan:
Roll it out if you are obsessed with your Dollarstore pastry roller like I am.
Mmmm. Smooth and lovely.
Spread on your cooled jam:
crumble on the oat mixture that you set aside…
Sprinkle on sesame seeds or coconut to make it really pop.
Bake for about 30 minutes at 350F.
That’s what I’m talking about.
Slice into 16 squares.
or you can make bars and wrap them up for lunch!
You will not be able to eat just one. Three if you are lucky. I had to shove these into the freezer asap. ;)
They are delicious.
I’m thinking you could have a lot of fun with this recipe. More fun than should be legal perhaps. You could try making blueberry, raspberry, or even peach jam! I am getting excited just thinking about the possibilities…
Update: A comment below suggested making these with pumpkin butter! That would be wickedly delicious and seasonally appropriate to boot.
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{ 243 comments… read them below or add one }
you have so much self-control – i don’t know if mine would have made it to the freezer! yum!
These loook delicious! Do you suppose they’d come out okay with all whole wheat flour?
Why haven’t you been using whole wheat pastry flour lately?
No reason, I just go through flour phases ;)
hmm not sure. I think all w/w might make them a bit dry, but im not sure.
Hi Teresa, if you mean by using all whole wheat flour for the flour measure, then I’m pleased to report that it does work! I just taste-tested a square and it’s lovely, nice and nutty. Hope this helps :)
*Grin* I have batch #2 in the oven now, made with WW regular (non-pastry) flour for the flour measure again and it’s going to be lovely. This time the homemade jam is blueberry, but I ran out of chia for the second tablespoon of chia, so I added freshly ground flax seeds, milled in my coffee grinder very finely. It tastes good, but I would hesitate to recommend ground flax for jam to be served on its own as it retains the ground flax texture and has a slightly nutty taste. It will be unnoticeable though sandwiched between bites of breakbast bar. Thanks so much, Angela!
these are BEAUTIFUL !! I am so glad I like strawberries again…
I loved Strawberry Nutrigrain bars pre-vegan, too… These look like a delectable substitute and I can’t wait to make them! You’ve got my vote for Foodbuzz… I’m so glad you got your entry in!
Gah, technology – you can never count on it! Glad you met your deadline! The strawberry bars look delicious! I have to use the freezer trick on a lot of my baked goods too. That way I can pull out just one (alright, fine – I pull out more like three or four) at a time to snack on.
These are like Nutri-grain bars! But natural and healthier! I think cherries or peaches sound like bar-worthy fruits!
I love these because they are made with strawberry! I am not a huge fan of grape.
I made fig bars much like these awhile back but never perfected the recipe–I guess I don’t need to anymore :). Thanks for saving me the work haha. I WANT that pastry roller! Oh my goodness. I would roll everything with that.
These look delicious. I can’t wait to give them a try!!
these look delicious–nom nom nom!
Oh my gosh, I’d be so stressed about getting your post published in time, too! That’s happened to me before with work files that I needed to email… so stressful! Glad it all worked out okay!
And those strawberry oat squares look like they’d make ANYTHING better!! :)
I HATE when things like that happen. And they always happen at the most stressful times, don’t they? I’m so glad you got it published. You deserve to keep on going all the way through.
Glad you beat the deadline! I’ve been dealing with my own tech issues all morning and I’m frustrated as can be!
Ooh they sound delicious and they LOOk delicious! So bright! I love it :)
Oh geeze, I have all these ingredients at home, I guess I will have to make these!
Angela your foodbuzz post looks great — sorry to hear about tech problems, those are the worst!!!
I love that little pastry roller, too! We have a big party we’re throwing this weekend, and I’ve been looking for a healthy dessert to serve. I definitely am putting this one in the running. Or maybe just a huge bowl of the ganache!
These remind me of Nutrigrain bars, you know, except the additives and preservatives. Super yummy looking!
Oh Angela, I love you…
and I, you!
ooooh my. i may have to set those as my desktop background at work!!! they look delicious! that’s such a great idea to use chia seeds as a jam thickener. i’d never thought of it but it must really boost the nutrition too. :D i like it!
I loved nutrigrain bars when I was younger. These look more delicious and wholesome.
omg. i’m such a sucker for anything strawberry related! that looks to die for!
1/2 what of sucanat? I’m thinking 1/2 cup..but i just want to be sure :)
These look delicious btw. Going on my list of things to bake.
These are GORGeous!!!!! Not to mention they sound outstanding. The cornstarch or arrowroot would work, but you have to whisk it with a little water and then add to the mix, which avoids the gross clumps! :)
Oh gosh, I definitely would of flipped out. I don’t stay calm under pressure. these look delicious, as does your vegan pizza. You have my vote!
oh my goshhhhhhhhh!! these look so good!!!! :) i’m starving for them now!
p.s. what do you do with all this food you make?
I eat ALL of it. No one else. haha
jk…I share. Sometimes.
When I was in elementary school, they gave us nutri-grain bars often as an afternoon snack. And I HATED them. I’ve never had the courage to try one again.
But these look incredible ;).
1. I think you should make pumpkin oat squares, using your pumpkin butter. What could be more perfect this time of year?
2. That pastry roller is absolutely adorable.
great idea!
In my job it’s BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP and SAVE SAVE SAVE, so I feel your pain with the tech issue.
Also . .. I got my kitchen back – 5 weeks after it was supposed to be finished. But it is finished nonetheless and now I can backtrack through all your posts and start tasting! :) Possibly with the above recipe. Reminds me of my mum’s raspberry coconut slice.
So glad your kitchen is ready to roll!
Thanks lady!
Yummy yum yum I am drooling again. Your recipes tend to do that. :) I will try this recipe this weekend. I think I may try with guava jelly.
OMG, you are amazing! Every recipe you come up with looks so delicious.
You totally have my vote for the project foodblog. And i´m spreading the word here in Germany to have all of my friends vote for you!
P.S.: I will make the vegan pizza tomorrow!
Thank you! Every vote helps.
I hope you enjoy the vegan pizza…I already cant wait to make it again!
Love the vibrant color of these bars! They look and sound delicious.
Looks Yummy!
Wow, these look amazing! So glad you got your entry in on time :)
I LOVE jam bars!! And it’s even better these are made with homemade jam. Yumm yum!
OH my gosh, I have to try this ASAP!
Yummm!! These look awesome, sooo summery though, you have me seasonally conflicted (I know you can appreciate the psych humor). I think apple or pumpkin would be fun for fall…or maybe even cranberry!
Oh my gosh, that is so scary!
I probably would have started crying :/
Just came across your blog from Meesh (Michelle). Those bars look excellent!
These look incredible!!
Im always so worried about my internet going down. When my blackberry doesnt have a signal I dont know what to do with myself.
Those look insane! I think I’ll try making them with apples.
Oh my! Those look great!
Good advice about not putting too much faith in technology too! :)
Holy moly that sounds like a close call! Glad you made the deadline!!
These look so good! mmmm I bet they would be amazing with blueberry jam! Love the colour of them!
Those look delicious! How do you shop for your baking ingredients/ things like oats, nuts, etc? Do you buy in bulk ?
with the bakery I purchase everything from a wholesaler so I can get stuff really cheap. I purchase by the 50 pound bag for nuts, grains, etc! Bulk all the way.
before the bakery I would buy a lot online in bulk and at bulk food stores.
This makes me want a pastry roller, just so I can make these! Yum, strawberry jam is my favorite!
Those look good. I love the crust.
These look gorgeous and I’m sure they taste amazing too!!!
I would not have handled that situation as calmly. I probably would have been using some very colorful language. :)
Those bars look amazing. I have got to try them!
These look wonderful! I like the idea of the pumpkin ones too…
On a completely unrelated subject, what’s your favorite frozen banana soft serve recipe? I’ve been curious…
My husband will love your pizza too. He’s not vegan at all, but rather than lactose intolerant, I think he’s completely lactose revoltant! And, I have a freezer full of pesto from the basil he grew this summer.
Fav BSS recipe…hrmm. Like picking between fav VOO recipes!
I would have to say either classic 1 tbsp peanut butter BSS with frozen cherries
OR
carob peanut butter (1-2 tbsp carob powder + 1 tbsp PB)
I can’t keep up with all the delicious recipes! I want to make them all :-). Keep em coming, I love attempting your recipes for my blog lol ;-)
you blow me away with your recipes. you are just a creative genius. that pizza? phenomenal!
I’ve said it before, but you are a kitchen genius! Beautiful.
OH MY – how delightful! These are definitely going on my ‘to make’ list!!!
Oooh, I was wincing when I was reading that story about yoru posting your entry for the contest! I learned from experience (several experiences, actually) that when you actually need technology to comply it never, ever will. I’m glad you were able to make it work, though!!
Your blog makes me so happy. You are so creative and think of wonderful recipes. I can’t wait to go home to my nice, big kitchen (I currently live in a dorm) and try some of these out.
You’ve come such a long way, you should be so very proud of yourself :)
Thank you :)
MMMM, these look delicious!!! :) I want ;)
This looks wonderful!
Unrelated question- I’m a new runner (just signed up for my first 5K!) and am looking into the various Garmin products to better time my runs. Is there a particular model that you recommend? (I recall you using a Garmin – but if not, I’m open to any suggestions!)
Thank you for all the inspiration…
I use the Garmin 305 and I love, love, love it. I got it at Costco so it was cheaper than in other stores and online.
I saw Garmins on Amazon for 144 USD$ – is this a good price?
I think mine was $165 canadian so that seems about right
“I wouldn’t call myself a procrastinator in most areas of my life, with the exception of a few things such as business taxes, receipt entering, and organizing my Recipes page.”–
You pay those? Business taxes? KIDDING…hah!
Nothing quite as bad as paying taxes, organizing recipes pages, going to the dentist, moving (packing or home renovation projects. And I think you have all of the above in recent memory.
Seriously…the recipe looks delish. The dollarstore roller, omg I covet that, badly.
The faith in technology…I cannot tell you how many times I have had something truly time critical to do..and that’s the moment my tech fails, my computer freezes, it’s like murhpy’s law. Glad you got it in…under the wire. I am an anal to a fault & i woulda had a heart attack!
lol I think I am going to submit sunday at 5am just to be sure!
I know you were going for healthy, but if you’re making jam that’s not enough sugar to get it to jell up. If you’re not using pectin you need somewhere between 1:1 fruit and sugar (I usually go by weight). You can cut that to 3/4 sugar to one part jam but anything less and you likely need to add pectin. Or you can mix fruits with higher pectin to get it to jell. Sour apples are a good choice to add (a little bulk, a lot of pectin). Or pick a berry with higher pectin (blackberries are a good one). Strawberries, even with full sugar, is a tough one.
Oh, and I know that’s not why all people make low-sugar and/or sugar-free jam… but full fruit spreads (made with no sugar) often have more calories than jam itself. I prefer locally grown (backyard usually) fruit with sugar. Yes, I made way too much this summer, but people seem to enjoy them as gifts.
I wasn’t going for traditional jam in the case of these squares, so I found that what I made was a great consistency for the bar in this square. Had I been making it for another purpose, such as a spread on toast, I would have used a different, more traditional recipe. :)
Oohh that does look good! I think the sesame seeds look really cute on top
Wow, that was close… I would have died if you didn’t submit it, because you’re such an excellent contestant! Anyway, these bars look amazing. Bars + jam = loove. I wonder if you could replace some of the butter in the base with peanut butter? PB/J :)
mmm great idea! Wow that would be amazing actually PB + jam!
I loved Nutri-grain bars when I was younger. Actually, I still do! :D
Another masterpeice. Seriously, come out with a cookbook. I would buy it the moment it hit the shelves!
You go Angela! WOWOWOW! I have a very similar recipe to this, but NO WHERE close to the pics my lady!
Maybe some non-dairy whipped cream and non-dairy vanilla bean ice cream to go with and done and done.
Also, glad you made the cut with the Food Blog #5, close call.
I am glad you showed us that roller too, I need one of those. hehe.
yes I would agree about the non dairy ice cream.
Oh, those pictures looked so real on my computer, I swear I could smell them! They look so tasty!!
Also, just had to say thanks again for blogging about your half marathon last year. That’s part of the reason I decided to do my first one – which was yesterday! I blogged all about how it went for me, and hopefully, like you, I will inspire someone else to give it a try.
You rock!!
Dawn :)
Congrats on your first half marathon! :) How did it feel?
Thanks! It felt amazing, I accomplished something that a year ago, I never ever dreamed of! It was a perfect day. :) Can’t wait for the next one!
That is so exciting. :) What a huge accomplishment!
I felt like I was going to die in parts of my half marys..hehe…in a good way though!
Wow those look awesome! Btw I made a quickie version of your pizza tonight and it ROCKED! The boys had their own pizza for during NFL but they were absolutely drooling over the one I made :) You have my vote!
wow that is awesome!
There is no way I would ever consider making my own jam for this recipe. You are such a domestic goddess! :)
Could I substitute spelt flour in these, do you think? Also, what would be the portions for a flax egg?
I’m sure spelt could work. The rule of thumb for subbing in spelt is reduce the amount of water by 25%. Not sure how crucial this would be in this recipe since it only calls for 2 tbsp almond milk anyways. Im sure it would be fine!
I just made these – with spelt flour and a flax egg. I added chopped hazelnuts & subbed in raspberry pomegranate preserves – they’re not as pretty as yours but there’s a photo on my latest post. Thanks for the recipe – they taste amazing.
That is some of the brightest jam I’ve seen! Such a work of art :)
Did you use ground chia or whole chia seeds in the jam?
whole chia seeds :)
I have a batch in the oven right now…I halved the recipe in case of disaster. I am a vegan baking virgin. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I hope you like them!
I hate when my computer fails on me. It happened TWICE last week: once with school work and once with a blog post. I just need to get into the habit of pressing “SAVE” every 30 seconds. ;-)
I compulsively hit save when I type of blog posts after losing a few before
I love the idea of thickening upthe jam with chia seeds! Genius!
That’s one beautifully delicious idea!
Those look absolutely delish! I would have to have someone by me to take them out of the house, lol! I love oat bars…must put these on my list!
Those look absolutely amazing! I’d love to try to make them but I have a question. How would you suggest wrapping them up for lunches without having all the jam stick to saran wrap?
I would use parchment on the interior followed by saran or tin foil on the exterior :)
Great! I’m going to try them out some time soon! Thanks!
A belated congrats on rocking Project Food Blog thus far!
I think I’d like to recreate this recipe with my afterschool program kids; the snacks they’re served tend to be chemically-laden variations on Nutrigrain bars, and these would be a fun, hands-on way to get a little more nutrition in them!
Just an FYI- Eric just had one and he said they tasted like nutrigrain bars! Score :)
HOLY yum Angela!! Now I know why Caitlin said she was craving them now..
Dang girl! You need to STOP making desserts. LOL
BTW, I made your upside down pear cake today for company and everyone raved. My hubby could not believe it die not have butter! :)
Looks delish! This is another I have to try!
Yum! Those look so good! I am going to try making them some time soon along with that amazing vegan pizza you made.
By the way, your photography is beautiful as always :D
I have a potluck tomorrow, so I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to make these bars, since they look so amazing. I used all whole wheat flour since I didn’t have any white flour, and I used agave instead of maple syrup because that was all I had. I also didn’t have any parchment paper so I greased the heck out of an aluminum baking tray and then pushed the whole thing out when they had cooled for 40 minutes. They turned out gooey and deliciously amazing. I almost don’t want to bring them to share because I want them all for myself! Thanks!
so glad everything worked out!
i’ve totally been there.
:)
Yum! Those look amazing. I used to make something similar with a frozen raspberry or apricot-fig filling, but it’s been ages since the last time I baked up a batch.
Those look really good! I’m definitely saving this recipe to use in the future!
This looks so beautiful! All the possibilities are getting me excited too! Yum :) Beautiful pics too.
Heidi xo
These look delicious just like all of your recipes!
That looks SO delicious! And the pictures are amazing. I bet these WOULD be good with pumpkin butter! yummy!
Hey Angela,
I am a huge fan of your website. I just found it a couple of months ago and I have been reading the old posts starting from the beginning. I’m still on 5-18-2009 but I will get there hahaha . I keep up with the new posts too. ( I know I’m a huge creeper lol) Anyway all of your recipes look wonderful but I have a wheat intolerance and was wondering if you knew what kind of flour I could use instead of wheat/white /kamut (which I think has wheat in it). I just recently found out about these food intolerance’s which include wheat, soy, egg, corn, and dairy. It’s actually been a blessing in disguise because I have been eating 10,000x healthier and I have not binged in 2 months!!! I used to have a problem with binge eating and I think that is why I can relate to this website so much. Everything you post is so positive and inspiring and proves that healthy cooking can be delicious. Keep up the good work. But back to my question… do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!!! Have a wonderful day :)
-Jackie
Thank you for your kind words! That is so cute you are reading old entries. I’d be scared at what I might find…haha. jk
I am afraid that I don’t know much about wheat free baking. I have heard that the Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flours work well as subs for many things.
Hi angela,
I love the idea of this recipie. Had a question, not such a fan of strawberry jam but thinking about apple (since i have quite a few laying around) would you add sugar to those two. Also i know you said you used a 9×9 pan..about how many bars did that yeild. I mean 9×9 isn’t huge but might be enough for my purposes
love the blog
thanks
Terese
Yummers Angela! I made these last night as soon as I got home & they are fantastic – just sweet enough and now I am eating one of them at work! Perfect recipe and I love it with Kamut – my fav flour! EXCELLENT recipe!
I needed to make something for a party tonight, and I “standard kitchen”-ized this… I guess real butter and egg and milk made more liquid than yours or half and half white&wheat flours and brown sugar absorbed it differently, but I had to had 3 more handfuls of oats to get any sort of crumbly texture. Also, totally spaced out and added baking soda instead of powder…so I just did both soda and powder, it made for a more fluffy base. And then for the crumbly top, I stirred in a quarter cup of almond butter, and sprinkled the whole deal with coconut. and I had to bake it longer too, ANYWOO, changed a lot, just wanted to tell you thanks for the inspiration and they turned out amazing…kinda like coffee cake!
Same! I used real butter, egg, and milk and it wasn’t at all crumbly. I added a couple handfuls of oats but didn’t want to mess with it too much, so I’ve got something baking in the oven that’s more liquidy than granola bar-y. It’ll probably still be delicious… even if I end up eating it with a spoon! ;)
Beautiful photos and a truly wholesome treat. I’m sure they taste as great as they look!
Hi Angela – I tried making these last night with brown rice flour and pumpkin butter, as it was all I had on hand. But they completely fell apart. They looked so cute in the pan, but they were more like a crumble then a square. Although they still taste delicious, it makes it a little hard to pack up for work….would the brown rice flour have cause them not to bind together? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
My guess is that it was the rice flour. I didn’t have any crumbly problems. I know brown rice flour can be a bit tempermental at times…
Goodluck if you try another batch! They are so tasty :)
Angela,
I tried making the oat squares and they turned out well, but I was wondering if your oat crust was crunchy or soft and chewy? I didn’t have a 9X9 pan so I used an 8X8 Pyrex glass dish so maybe that is why my oat crust came out soft and chewy. Still delicious though, keep the recipes coming!!! :)
They weren’t crunchy, but they weren’t that soft either, I would say inbetween. You could try baking them a bit longer, perhaps?
I made a lot of substitution and my base came out a lot wetter than yours which made it hard to spread the jam and the topping wouldn’t crumble and the jam all sank to the bottom and OH MY GOD IT WAS SO DELICIOUS. :]
Just had to tell you I made these last week when you first posted them. Pictures were so great, and I had all ingredients on hand, so couldn’t resist. My husband polished them off last night (I only really got one bite of whole batch) and asked this morning if I could “pretty please” make some more, which I just did. Great recipe, have made both times as written, but look forward to trying variations in future too. Thanks for this and other great food ideas and inspiration.
oh dear i finally made these and actually followed your advice and SHOVED them in the freezer after three bars; who knows where i would be if i hadn’t?
My husband just made these using Waldoblackberry jam and I ate 3 in a row, these are SO SO SO good!!!!!! OH MY :)
Thank you for the recipe :)
haha glad to hear that!
Hi,
I’m not sure if I’ve commented elsewhere but would you ever consider doing a recipe for a whole jar of homemade jam using little or no sugar and chia seeds as the thickening agent? I am intrigued by the use of chia seeds and would love to make my own jam- but I am not quite talented enough yet to try it on my own haha nor am I patient enough!
Thanks
Great idea! :)
I just made these with my 8yr old daughter. She took care of all of the dry/wet mixture while I prepared the strawberries and greased the pan. It went great and now the smell is filling my house!
THX!!
aw that’s cute! Hope you enjoy them
Hi Angela, I just saw this recipe after you posted the Magical Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam. I’m going on a trip this weekend and would like to make these to bring along for a quick airplane breakfast. Though I wanted to know if there is a way to substitute the sugar in the jam with maybe brown rice syrup or maple syrup? I usually try to put as little sugar as possible in my recipes and if I do I make sure it’s a natural source, I’m just not sure the jam would come out the same. What do you think?
PS. I’ve tried a few of your other recipes and they’re wonderful!!! Thanks!
Yes for sure, please see my blueberry chia seed jam post from June 26th. I used maple syrup instead of cane sugar. Enjoy!
Do you think I could sub the Kamut Flour for an all purpose GF flour? Or even quinoa flour?
I cant see why not :)
Hi Angela! I was just wondering if you had any suggestions on making these gluten free? Would oat flour or almond flour or an all purpose GF mix be best? Thanks!
These are amazing! I’ve made them a couple times now, and here’s the tweaks I use: For the oat base, I use a mix of spelt and whole wheat pastry flours. I also add in some TVP granules to up the protein a little. I also mix in about 1/4C teff. To the strawberry jam, I add just a touch (about 1/2-1 tsp) of balsamic vinegar. This makes the strawberry taste REALLY pop. If you use white balsamic, it also keeps the strawberries more of that beautiful bright red. Just mix it in at the same time you add the chia seeds. For the topping, instead of sesame, I sprinkle on some amaranth seeds. I absolutely adore the flavor of toasted amaranth :D
This is such a versatile recipe, a real gem! Thank you for harin it with us, Angela (you’re a hero in our household)
Hey Chanelle, Thank you for your kind words! You are so sweet. I love the subs you made in this recipe….so unique! I never would have thought to put in balsamic but I can see how that would be amazing! I can’t wait to try this out.
I made your strawberry chia jam tonight and it turned out great! What a great way to use up berries.
I recently came across your website while searching for jam recipes. I started a business making low sugar jams and jellies, and this just sounds DELICIOUS. So I am going to make them with OmNomNom Jam! I am crediting your recipe on our facebook page =) Thank you for the delicious idea!
Just tried making this, but subsituted a gluten free flour mix since I can’t have wheat. The oat mixture wasn’t crumbly, rather was kind of runny. Its in the oven now, so I don’t know how its going to turn out, but curious if you have any remedies? Just add more flour to get the desired consistency? Also, is the Earth Balance supposed to be the buttery sticks or the shortening sticks? I used the buttery sticks. Thanks!
Please save some of this for me! The homemade jam most make it taste fantastic.
THANK YOU!!! My entire family has been enjoying your recipe since you first posted it. I make it three times a week to ensure I can at least get a small sliver for breakfast every morning. Have tried your jam recipe with blueberries and peaches as well and they were delicious. My only change out was using coconut oil instead of Earth Balance. I also added grated lemon peel into the oat mixture. DELICIOUS!!!!
I’m so glad to hear that Rose!
Made these today and just finished my first square. These are amazing!! The jam smelled So GOOD while cooking. I was a bit worried because I was using an 8 x 8 dish and my mixture seemed a bit more wet than yours (I couldn’t sprinkle the 1/2 cup of oats on top, they kind of “glopped” on), so I cooked it an extra 5 minutes and it seemed to have worked!
Has anyone tried making these with frozen strawberries? Do they turn out as well as they do with fresh strawberries?
I’ve only ever done it with frozen, and it’s been quite yummy. One bag of frozen organic strawberries from Trader Joe’s is just a hair over the amount called for, so I use one bag and the larger amounts of sugar and chia seeds. This comment is probably too late to be of help to you, Jennifer, but hopefully it can be of use to someone. :)
Someone may have already asked this question, but will these squares work with frozen strawberries? I love love love this recipe, but good quality strawberries are hard to find in the winter.
Hmm, it turns out I’ve already asked this question…sorry for the repetitiveness. I completely forgot that I asked you this in October.
I just made these & they turned out terrific! They look beautiful and taste delicious. Definitely hit the spot without being too sweet. I subbed coconut oil for the Earth Balance. And I used a bag of organic frozen strawberries instead of fresh (it’s winter right now so no fresh available) to make the jam and it turned out well. Thanks for sharing his recipe! I’m going to try it next time making peach-ginger jam… Yum :)
I just made these with my grandmother this evening as an impromptu dessert. We used a 9×9 pan as well, and it turned out a little bit too thick and soft for a bar–more cake-like and requiring a fork. We ate them fresh out of the oven and they were delicious, though my sweet-toothed grandfather was wishing for a scoop of ice cream on his. I think that with a little tweaking this will be my new go-to breakfast food. I’m thinking that the Earth Balance may be able to be replaced with apple sauce; I’ll have to play around with it. Apple butter, blackberry, and raspberry are all fillings I am looking forward to experimenting with. And I keep imagining it with banana slices and a chocolate drizzle…Yum!
Has anyone tried making this with less sugar? I am trying to find good snacks for my 2 year old son, but am trying not to make them very sugary.
Yum! I made these for the first time today and they were good. I didn’t have brown or even white sugar, so I just left that out completely. The recipe was plenty sweet without it. In fact, I still thought it was too sweet, and that was likely because I used pre-made jam rather than the recipe you posted. I used oat flour and the consistency seemed ok. The base was too wet, so I think next time I will go lighter on the Earth Balance; I tasted too much of that in the end result anyway. I’m not complaining; the end result was delicious, but as an afternoon snack, I think it needs to be a little less sweet for my son.
Kristen – I know this is an old comment, but just wanted to say a big thank you for posting up the results of the sugar free version – it gave me the courage to try it! I also wanted to make them less sugary for my toddler and it was a huge hit for mum and bub alike :) I added an extra 1/2 cup of oats in place of the sugar, used coconut oil instead of earth balance and reduced to 1/3 cup based on your comments. I also used spelt flour and halved the salt. Texture was perfect and taste amazing! I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, so it was perfect for me. Big thank you to Angela for posting this incredible recipe. I cannot believe how something so healthy can taste so freaking good!
Came across the blueberry jam recipe last year and want to make these this year with my freshly picked strawberries. Has anyone had luck using a gluten free flour? I’m not strictly GF but I like to try it with some recipes (when appropriate). Thanks!
Just a question: when you say “Add the wet mixture (reserving 1/2 cup of the mixture) to the dry and mix well” what are we supposed to be reserving 1/2 cup of? I’ve actually made these twice now, and they’ve been amazing both times, but I’m still don’t think I’m doing it right..
Hey Jessica,
It just means to set aside 1/2 cup of the dough to use as the crumbled topping. Does that make sense? I changed it to read “Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well, using hands if necessary. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dough for the topping. etc…” Hope this helps and thanks for pointing this out!
You say “Earth Balance” in the list of ingredients, but which product? Shortening? Spread?
It’s the spread (I used soy-free) in the tub. enjoy!
What can I use instead of the earth balance butter I don’t use it but I would love to make these? Thank you in advance I love your website!
Hi Vikki, Coconut oil should work but I havent tried it yet myself. Goodluck if you try it!
Thanks for the fabulous recipe Angela! I just made these and they are delicious! I have one question though, they are a bit more wet then I was expecting.
Should I just add more flour?
Thanks!
Or maybe less butter?
Hey Holly, Yes the dough is very wet for this recipe – that is normal and should still turn out fine. I would like to work on the oat base recipe though – perhaps a crunchier version next time! enjoy :)
Hi Angela!
I think it was because I was too greedy and tried one right after I cut them teehee but when I stored them in the fridge and ate one, it set up just fine!
And was delish! Thanks again for the wonderful recipe!
hah glad to hear that! And who can wait until they cool anyway? Seems like some superhuman strength is required for that.
What other gluten-free flour could you use in place of the kamut flour? I haven’t been able to find any locally. Would oat flour work???
I’m not sure about oat flour – possibly! All purpose or probably whole wheat pastry flour would work since kamut tends to be a good swap for all purpose. good luck!
These look stellar…Question…do you find this too decadent/extravagant for a weekend branchy/breakfast?!….
I am a new follower of your fabulous blog….and the chia seed jam technique is THE BEST “staple” recipe I encourage EVERYONE to try…
I have a quick question….could psyllium flakes be used as a thickener if one finds chia difficult to find at certain times?…France is quite “new” to chia as an ingredient!
These bars are nothing short of fantastic. I made them this morning with homemade apricot blueberry jam. Angela- you are a vegan genius. I make a lot of your recipes and have yet to find one that I don’t like. Thank you for all of your hard work :)
Thank you Heidi, I appreciate it!
Hi Angela,
Ohh this recipe is really amazing. Loved it (not just me ;) and hád to share it on my blog http://www.sharelovenotsecrets.com/kitchen-secrets/strawberry-oat-bars-with-homemade-jam/
Thanks for the inspiration on your wonderful website!!!
Share Love,
Marleen
Today I tried your recipe as I had leftover homemade strawberry compote. I was worried at first for the oat mixture was of a gooey texture rather than a crumble mixture. Perhaps I didn’t let the melted butter cool down enough before adding all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. But after baking it and letting it cool down, I cut a piece and became ecstatic to find it crumbly and soft with a bit of tartness from the strawberries and slight sweetness to the dark chocolate. I couldn’t help but add some melted dark chocolate for guilty pleasure. I will definitely use this recipe in the future!
I just found your webpage and made these today!! They turned out great!! So delicious, thank you so much for the recipe :)
Dear Angela,
I am pulling my 1st batch of oat squares out of the oven as we speak. They smell amazing , they look amazing and I can not wait to taste them!
I made a batch of blueberry – raspberry – jam last night and can not believe how simple it is. I love that it only contains the fruit, chia seeds and maple sirup. It tastes great with greek yogurt ;). Thank you! Also I used homemade ghee because we simply do not have earth balance in Germany.
Now I just want to say that I have been following your blog for quiet a while now. Every recipe I try from you is AMAZING!!! I rarely come across blogs where I could just eat everything or do not substitute a lot but YOU are mind-blowing!!! Your creativity and ideas are a new fresh wind and it helps me to stay on a mainly gluten free & vegan diet. Thank you for posting all your recipes and thank you for helping me lead a healthier life. Thank you Angela!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! That means the world to me. :)
Oh I forgot I also used rice flour instead of the Kamut. It seems to work just fine.
Made these and oh my goodness! Sooooo good! I wonder if there is a substitute for the earth balance though?
Can you grind the chia seeds into a powder 1st, (for people with a texture issue). Would/could I use a coffee grinder or my Nutribullet (using MB grinder blade) to grind the chia seeds? Have you ever tried this? I think using ground chia seeds as a thickener would be great. Let me know. Your knowledge in the kitchen is so helpful to everyone.
Tootz
Pinned…instantly PINNED!!….QUESTION….Could one possibly use psyllium husks to thicken instead of chia?…Or ground chia seeds instead of whole?…Would these work better when you don’t want the color or texture too apparent?…When I make a seedy jam, like raspberry or blackberry…the chia seeds just seem to be obscured by the seed factor in general…but in my smoother jams…could I attempt one of those other options? Thoughts?
Thanks for a brilliant post!
I have been eyeing these for a while and can’t wait to finally try the recipe. At what point do you add the extract to the jam?
You add the extract after removing the jam from the heat. Hope this helps!
What can I use to substitute Earth Balance? Can I just use water? This looks yummy!
I don’t have chia seeds on hand could I use flax seed instead or should I rather just wait until I got chia seeds? Thanks
Just made these- used pears instead. Great recipe.
Hi,
Thank you very much for this great recipe. I was looking for healthy snacks for my kid to take to school and came across your blog. I made it an it was yum yum. My son loves it and I love it. I made some changes to mine as we’re not vegan. Once again, thank you.
Dinesha
(All the way from Australia)
I tried making these bars today and my dough did not look like yours. Yours looked to be on the dry side and could be pressed into the pan. Mine was on the runny side and I was able to pour it into the pan. I looked over the ingredients and I’m pretty sure I did everything correctly. I melted 1/2cup of the Earth Balance like it said, but I’m wondering if I should have just softened it instead. Any ideas on what could have gone wrong. Just put the bars into the oven….not sure what to expect when they come out…lol!
These look wonderful! Any idea if subbing unsweetened applesauce for the earth balance would work??
I just made a batch of the strawberry and blueberry! I added sunflower seeds to the granola mixture too, and after baking them, I added some more on top and broiled them for about 3 minutes. I love toasted sunflower seeds and it made the tops even more yummy :) with the blueberry batch I also sprinkled hemp seeds and walnuts before adding the top layer. This recipe was really fun, thank you! i’m going the make the jam again by its self because it was so easy and came out delicious. I only had a few concerns with the recipe –
1) My granola mixture came out very soft compared to yours in the photos. I didn’t need to use a roller because when I poured it into the pan it just molded and settled almost immediately. I used grass-fed butter instead of earth balance (I don’t feel right about butter substitutes) so maybe that is the reason? when I make them again I think I’ll only use the 1/2 cup of butter…
2) Both the strawberry and blueberry jams took much longer to cook and get to a thick enough consistency. After the 15 minutes was up I alternated between simmering and boiling (low heat) them, until eventually I wisked in 1 tbsp of arrowroot powder to each and that seemed to do the trick. I think I added on about 10 more minutes to get the right consistency.
Any thoughts on this? LOVED the recipe!
Hey Stephanie,
From what I recall about this recipe (it’s been a while since I made it) the oat dough IS very soft. Mine was too. So not to worry.
About the jam, they actually thicken up quickest when you pop them in the fridge after cooking. When very hot, they seem thinner than they are. I will add this to the recipe. Thanks and hope this helps!
Just made these again, for the fifth or sixth time. Love this recipe- it’s super simple and way healthier than other oat bars. I substituted apple sauce for butter (ie. Earth Balance) and much to my surprise it worked really well! They taste like a cross between a multi-grain bar and a more decadent oat bar. I would even decrease the sugar a little bit next time. And yes, the dough is very wet, but you should still be able to press it down in the pan.
I make and can a lot of jam, and am intrigued by your chia seed recipes. Do you know if it is possible to can and store your recipes, and how long they would keep?
If I want to avoid using Earth Balance, can I sub with coconut oil? Any idea if I should stick with the same measurements? Thanks!
Hi Angela! Whenever I make a version of this with fresh strawberries, my jam always comes out a little dull in color. Yours is so vibrant! Is it a trick of the camera or something else? The only difference is I use agave or honey whereas you used white sugar…any thoughts? (btw I love your blog and have been reading for years! Congratulations on your cookbook and your future little one!)
Hello,
Just stumbled on the recipe which sounds amazing. Just one thing though for this French cook, what can I substitute for Earth Balance?… I can’t wait to try it.. Merci
I’ve made them yesterday! Yummy! Such a great flavor! Thank you, Angela!
I don’t use oil/butter so I substituted the butter with apple sauce!!!! Taste AMAZING!!!! THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT RECIPE!!!!
Angela, you are amazing! That’s all. Simply. Amazing. :)
These are so good!!! I’m always a little skeptical of when people say things like “you won’t be able to stop at just one” because everyone has different tastes, but these are seriously good!! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! I’m new to the vegan lifestyle and I love that I don’t have to give up quality or flavor!
Has anyone every tried using coconut flour in place of the Kamut? I imagine I would just have to add more moisture also?
Hi,
Love the way they look on your website however mine were very moist and impossible to cut into bars? I used exactly your ingredients except regular flour…and my pan was slightly smaller…any tips how to get them more like yours? Thanks
Hi Angela
When do I add the vanilla in? I couldn’t find it in the instructions.
also If using pre-made strawberry jam, do I still need to add the sugar?
Thanks
I just made these and they are AMAZING! I made a few small changes – used coconut oil instead of earth balance, coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar, and I sprinkled with hemp seeds instead of sesame seeds! Thanks for this incredible recipe – will definitely make again!
Hi Angela, I have this on my counter for the fifth rendition so far–always say it’s for my preschoolers’ snack boxes but in reality I eat most of it. DH cannot fathom the concept of Nutri-Grain bars,or they would be gone even faster. These are tastier and healthier. At any rate, with your wonderful newborn you might relate to my current state–I am too tired (pregnancy) to finish the recipe, but it’s like a ready-made mix waiting for me to finish tomorrow since all of the dry ingredients are mixed together and the chia jam is done. You might like mixes now too :) DH like sthe chia jam and sneaked away two tablespoonsful before I caught him red-handed, so to speak. BTW the blueberry version is good, strawberry too, but raspberry is my hands-done favourite. Thanks!
I was confused with the line in brackets (reserve 1/2 oat mixture)…Is this the dry oat mixture or the wet/dry mixture? I found it difficult to sprinkle this mixture as it was clumpy! Waiting for it to bake as we speak…I’m sure it will be good!
Just made these and substituted raspberries for the strawberries and they are FANTASTIC!! So easy to make and taste delicious!! :) Already planning on making another batch soon.
Also, does anyone know the nutrition information on these? I’m pretty strict with my diet and I stumbled upon these assuming they are pretty healthy! If anyone could let me know, that’d be awesome! Great recipe by the way!! :)
These look amazing!
I wasn’t able to find kamut flour, so I got white sifted spelt flour( which I’ve never used before either….) , are there any adjustments I should make, or recommend NOT using this flour?
Thanks in advance, I LOVE your blog!
Mine came out salty… :(.
Yummy organic strawberries were on sale at the store so I bought a bunch and decided to give this recipe a try. These squares are delicious! I’ll be doing the jam again and might try the squares with blueberries and lemon. Thanks for this great recipe!
Hi Angela
If I wanted to make these peanut buttery….would you think subbing PB for the margarine would work or would that be a disaster?
I’m making these right now. I’m making my own jam with blueberries and strawberries. Just a side note~ corn starch does work. You have to mix the corn starch with some cold water then add it to your hot mixture. Works beautifully. Can’t wait for the bars to be done!
I had a whole bunch of strawberries that HAD to be used today and I was really excited when I found this recipe! Unfortunately I found another flour inbalance. I’m not sure if it has to do with sea levels (I’m on the west coast right at sea level) but there have been a few osg recipes where the I find myself having to add a significant amount of flour to get the desired texture. Took about another cup and a half and a handful of oats to make this dough even close to crumbly/non-sticky. Wonder why that is? Has anyone else had this problem?
Would it be ok if I didn’t use the chia egg ??
Do you think it would work to put the jam up in jars and water bath them (to be able to store them in a pantry)? I have a case of peaches and would love to have this flavor throughout the year.
This was delicious!
I don’t see where the vanilla comes in for the jam!
Anyway to make this glutton free?
Hi :)
Do you have a substitute for the vegan butter to make it oil free? Maybe apple sauce? And how much would you use?
Thanks!!!
When
is the vanilla added?
Hi there! You can stir in the vanilla right after you’ve removed the thickened jam from the heat.
My husband sent me to your 15 vegan recipes to try and I’ve tried at least 5 so far; you are a God sent! I have a family of 6 (we have 4 boys ranging from 6mos-9) and my husband and I have decided to try to go vegan for a while to see if we can stick with the lifestyle change (although still allowing the boys to eat chicken and fish). Your recipes really help as both my husband and children can deal with vegan when the food taste so delicious! I’m making this today, but instead of rolled oats, using the gluten free; also, used gluten free flour. So far very tub g is tasting yummy and I’m so excited. Thanks also for introducing chia seeds. Always were afraid to try by loving the taste and texture it brings!
Hi LaKerie, I’m so happy you’re finding my recipes helpful as you and your family transition into a vegan lifestyle. I’m wishing you all the best on the journey–I hope it’s fun and delicious!
Hi. I’m using your cookbook recipe for the strawberry chia jam. Do you think it would freeze well ? I’m thinking of making a few batches as I have an 18 month old so pressed for time :)
Hi Rachel, I totally get being pressed for time with a little one running around, especially when they are at your feet while you cook! ;) Chia seed jam freezes so well! I love to portion my fresh jam into a silicone mold (such as this one) for easy, individual portions. Once frozen, pop the frozen cups out of the mold and place them into an airtight freezer bag. They will store well for a month or longer. I will often thaw some in the fridge overnight, or simply at room temperature. You can also throw a frozen cube or two into the pot when making hot oatmeal for a bit of extra flavour. This might sound weird, but I actually love eating the frozen chia seed jam straight from the freezer (like a popsicle). It’s soooo good!
Is there a typo in the dry ingredients or ??? mine is much wetter then your photos.
thx!
Do you think I could substitute almond flour?
Hi Andrea, Almond flour doesn’t contain gluten (a binder) which kamut flour does, so I wouldn’t suggest swapping it for all of the flour in the recipe. You might be able to get away with swapping a small portion of the flour for almond flour though. It would be an experiment for sure. If you try anything please let us know how it goes!
I tried it and they were super moist which I guess was ok I also added a bit of coconut flour. Rather than rolling out the dough I spread it like cookie dough.
Made blackberry/blueberry/strawbwerry jam, substituted soy flour, didn’t put the extra dough on top and instead subbed sunflower seeds. They’re in the oven now filling up my kitchen with delicious smells!
I was hesitant to try these because I’m normally not a huge fan of baked goods with oats, but I just couldn’t resist the homemade jam and OH. MY. GOODNESS. Why has no one mentioned how delicious only the raw “dough” already is?? SO GOOD! I just kept eating spoon after spoon haha. Some of it made it to the oven though, so I’m currently waiting to see how the bars turn out!
haha you sound like me! I’m such a raw dough fan