Sesame Oat Square Bars with Pear Compote

Some things always turn out well, including these wonderful little desserts - Sesame Oat Square Bars with Pear Compote. This healthy version uses the coconut oil and no eggs. Excellent treats/snacks for any time of day. Enjoy and have a good weekend!

You may also like - Strawberry Oat Squares with Homemade Jam



Ingredients:

For the Oat Base:

• 1 1/2 cups regular oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds+ 4 tbsp warm water, mixed)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1 Tbsp. flax seeds
• 2 tbsp almond milk or regular milk
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (for topping)

For the Pear Compote:

• 4-5 firm, but ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored, cut into thick slices
• 3 Tbsp. sugar, to taste (or less)
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamome
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper and oil the sides of the pan and base.

To make the pear compote: Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid halfway over the pot and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pears are soft when you poke a knife through them. Add in the chia seeds, and stir well. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low to medium heat for another 5 minutes. Once it has thickened a bit, remove from heat and cool for 5-10 mins.

To make the oat base: 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, brown sugar, baking soda, salt. In a small bowl, mix the warm Coconut oil, maple extract, almond milk, and chia egg. Stir well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well, using hands if necessary. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture for a top. Pour the rest oat mixture onto the square pan and press down with fingers. Pour on pear compote and smooth out. Now sprinkle on the reserved 1/2 cup oat mixture on a top. Then sprinkle on one tablespoon of sesame seeds. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Allow to fully cool for at least 30-40 minutes before gently removing from pan. Slice and serve with tea or coffee.