Edmonds Healthy Eating: A perfect bar for bonanza of berries

Berry oatmeal crumble bars.
Berry oatmeal crumble bars.

In my garden, I am enjoying strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. We’re in the midst of a berry bonanza. Each individual, tasty berry has its own unique nutritional values and functional benefits. Supercharge your diet and maximize berry health benefits by enjoying the entire berry patch.

Here are the berry facts:

Strawberries
Serving: 1 Cup
Nutrition Benefits
50 calories
160 percent DV of Vitamin C
More Vitamin C than an orange
Immunity-boosting

Raspberries
Serving: 1 Cup
Nutrition Benefits
52 Calories
Rich in fiber and antioxidants, raspberries support heart health
44 percent DV of Vitamin C
7g Fiber
Excellent source of fiber
More fiber than a bran muffin

Blueberries
Serving: 1 Cup
Nutrition Benefits
57 calories
Packed with powerful antioxidants
Research indicates links to good vision, acuity and brain development

Blackberries
Serving: 1 Cup
Nutrition Benefits
43 calories
Excellent source of fiber
5g fiber
50 percent DV of Vitamin C
The berry’s striking dark color comes from anthocyanin, a powerful phytonutrient that may protect from diseases such as cancer

Here is a great way to use any type of berry from your garden, your neighbor’s garden or the Edmonds Saturday Market! For the 4th of July you could do red and blue to be patriotic.

These are wonderful snack bars, dessert bars or breakfast bars. Take them on a hike or to the beach. Enjoy and Happy 4th of July!

Berry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Makes 9 large bars
You’ll Need
– 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
– ¾ cup all-purpose flour (if you are gluten-free feel free to substitue almond flour)
– ½ cup brown sugar
– ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
– ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
– 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about ½ small lemon)
– 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
– 2 cups (10 ounces) berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries) (Dice into small pieces if necessary.)
– ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
– ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 tablespoon milk

How To
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Line a 9-inch-by-9-inch baking pan with foil and spray with non­stick spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger and salt together.
Add the melted butter to the mixture and stir until thoroughly-combined.
Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the top of the bars and set aside. Press the rest of the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
Toss the berries with the cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice. Spread this mixture over the crumb mixture. Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping over the berries.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crumble topping is brown and the berries are bubbling.
Make the glaze by whisking the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk together in a small bowl until smooth.
Cool the berry bars to room temperature before drizzling with the glaze and cutting into squares.
The glaze is OPTIONAL. I enjoy them without the glaze and use a dollop of yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.

Deborah Binder— By Deborah Binder

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She is “dancing with N.E.D.” (no evidence of disease) after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009. She is a foodie who loves to cook from scratch and share here experiments with her family and friends. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and freelances around town for local chefs. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.

 

  1. I have a friend coming for lunch today and a whole box of TJ’s peaches staring me in the face, so I made these bars with peaches and home grown raspberries. Thanks Deborah for the idea! I remember my mom making these when I was a kid and the memory of her makes me smile!

    1. Sweet! So glad it brings back good memories. Food memories are the best! You have to stop by to see our new schnauzer puppy! She’s adorable!

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