Refined Sugar Free Raspberry Oat Bars

These are the "Nutrigrain" bars mother nature intended. Feed them to your family with guilt-less pleasure. They are free of high fructose corn syrup...which creepy enough contains mercury! I don't know why the mainstream media doesn't broadcast things like this...oh wait maybe they just want us all to become brain dead by consuming high fructose corn syrup in large doses. It is frightening.

This recipe is adapted from a great cookbook Country Beans by Rita Bingham. I like many of the recipes in her book. Her big idea is to always combine beans with a grain to create a complete protein. Inspired by Rita, I keep bean flours on hand in my freezer to add in whenever I think of it. This is by far one of our favorites from her cookbook.

Raspberry Oat Bars

for crust and topping...
1 3/4 c rolled oats
1 1/4 c whole grain flour mix
1/4 c white bean flour (or just substitute whole grain flour)
1/2 c chopped nuts
3/4 c melted butter or applesauce (go for the butter)
3/4-1 c unrefined sweetener
(I like brown rice syrup, use 1 cup. Her recipe uses honey..I think it is too strong)
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t real salt

for fruit filling...
2 c fresh or frozen berries (I use a frozen mix, from Costco)
1/2 c sweetener (I like agave, xylitol is good too.)
3 T water (omit if using ultra gel)
2 T cornstarch 0r 4-6 T ultra gel
Juice from one Lemon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, flours, nuts, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and sweetener, mixing until crumbly.

Reserve 3/4 c mixutre; press remaining onto bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake 8 min.

Combin berries and sweetener. Bring to a boil; simmer 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch, water and lemon juice. Gradually stir into berry mixture; cook and stir about 30 sec or until thickened.

Spread over partially baked crust. Sprinkly with remaining oat mixture. Bake 15-18 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Just say no to high fructose corn syrup. It is worth whatever hassel you might incur. This is your family! Do a google search on "high fructose corn syrup mercury" you will find alarming information. Articles from the Washington Post, USA Today...and Nutrigrain bars were one of the foods tested.