Pumpkin Oatmeal Anytime Squares
Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free
Ingredients:
1 flax egg: (1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water)
1/2 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin purée
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour (Or use 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon oat flour)
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup almond flour (not almond meal)
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (for enhanced binding)
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
2 tablespoons mini non-dairy chocolate chips, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
Mix flax egg in a small bowl or mug and set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin and sugar with electric beaters until combined.
Pour in the flax egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and beat again.
Finally add in the oat flour, rolled oats, almond flour, arrowroot flour, and pecans. Beat until combined.
Spoon dough into prepared pan and spread out until smooth and even. The dough will be very sticky, but this is normal. I like to cover the dough with a piece of parchment paper and roll it with a pastry roller. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and press down.
Bake for 15-19 minutes (I baked for 18 minutes), until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Be sure not to overbake.
Place pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then, lift out and place square directly on cooling rack for another 10-20 minutes, until cool. Slice and enjoy! The bars will crumble slightly if sliced warm, but they firm up nicely when cooled.
Tips: 1) Instead of coconut sugar, you can try using Sucanat or natural cane sugar. Also, if you'd like a less sweet square you can try reducing the sugar a bit. 2) To make the freshly ground oat flour, add 3/4 cup rolled oats into a high speed blender. Blend on high until a fine flour forms. You can also simply use store-bought oat flour (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon should do it).
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/10/07/pumpkin-oatmeal-anytime-squares-vegan-gluten-free-oil-free/#ixzz3xXX2Ax91
