Woo Hoo!

Christmas time is here!

Chocolate & Carrots is proud to introduce…

{12} Decadent Days of Christmas

Yay!

For the next 12 days I’m going to share some classic recipes from my family as well as some new ones I’ve been waiting to try.

Forget your diets and just enjoy these wonderful recipes (in moderation, of course… with the exception of the ones with chocolate 😉 ). I hope you enjoy them!

So, Logan and I have been doing a lot of traveling lately, and will continue to travel as we get closer to Christmas. These little bars are great for a quick snack on the road. So for all of you traveling this season, have some Blueberry Oat Bars ready to go for hungry tummies!

They are pretty easy to whip up and just having them out and ready to go! They fit nicely into a little gladware with parchment paper dividing the layers of bars. 🙂

Plus, you can keep them for 5 days out of the fridge!

Do you and your family have a favorite family dessert recipe?

Don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaway!

Decadent Days of Christmas {1}

Blueberry Oat Bars

adapted from Oh She Glows

Ingredients (Blueberries)

• 1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch

Ingredients (Oats)

• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons soy milk (or desired milk)

How-To

1. Prepare a 9″x9″ pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a sauce pan, combine the blueberries and sugar.
3. Heat on low heat until the blueberries start to sweat and get a little bit watery.
4. In a tiny bowl, add some of the liquid from the blueberries in with the corn starch. Be sure to stir this until all of the cornstarch is dissolved and it is a smooth liquid.
5. Pour the cornstarch liquid into the blueberries and stir.
6. Turn the heat up to low-medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes until it’s nice and thick while continuing to stir.
7. Once it has thickened, set it aside to cool for about 5-10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°.
9. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients for the oats mixture.
10. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, butter and milk.
11. Now, mix the wet and dry ingredients, and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture in a bowl for a topping.
12. Spread the remainder evenly on the the 8″x8″ pan, pushing down with your fingers and finishing off with the bottom of a cup to make it nice and even.
13. Spread the blueberry mixture on top of the oat layer.
14. Sprinkle the reserved oats on top.
15. Optional: sprinkle with black/white sesame seeds.
16. Bake for 30 minutes.
17. Let it cool for 30 minutes.
18. Slice and store in an airtight container (store in the fridge to keep firm).

Servings: 16 bars

So good, Logan couldn’t wait for more! 🙂