Cherry Whole Grain Cereal Bars
Cooking spray
2 cups dried tart cherries
½ cup tart cherry juice
1¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
⅓ cup packed sweetener and brown sugar blend
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
In medium saucepan, heat cherries and juice to a simmer and cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
Place in food processor and process until puréed. Remove from processor and set aside. Wash and wipe dry processor bowl and blade.
Place oats, all-purpose and whole wheat flours, sweetener blend, ginger and soda in food processor and process until oats are finely ground. Pour in butter and pulse just until mixture begins to cling together. Reserve 1¼ cups crumb mixture for topping.
Pour remaining mixture into the bottom of the baking pan and pat down firmly. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and spread puréed cherries evenly over top of crust.*
Sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over cherry layer and pat down firmly. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until slightly golden and topping appears set. Remove from oven.
Cool and cut into 12 bars.
*Note: To easily spread puréed cherries on baked crust, spoon small spoonfuls evenly on top, then spread with a wet spatula.
