Are you as excited as I am about spring heading into summer? This special period of time not only signifies more sunshine - it's the season of rhubarb and strawberries! This is one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time. While you may be enjoying Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and Rhubarb Compote already, I've got a new one for you that I think you'll love: Strawberry Rhubarb Bars that are vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free. They're also really delicious while being nutritious, filled with that wonderful sweet-tart flavor that makes me love strawberries with rhubarb.
Dessert for Breakfast
Yep, with ingredients like oats, fruit, and almonds, this is one of those desserts that totally works for breakfast or as a midday snack. This recipe makes a big batch, so it's wonderful to share or freeze for another day.
Oil-Free? Really!
How are these strawberry rhubarb bars vegan and oil-free and still have amazing textures and flavor? Pecan butter replaces the typical oil or butter, as do almonds or chestnuts, whichever you choose. The oil is not missed here, it's just replaced with more nutritious fats.
Chestnuts vs Almonds
I've provided the option of using chestnuts or almonds in this recipe. The recipe calculations are based on using almonds. If you're looking to lower the calories and fat, chestnuts are the way to go; however, keep in mind they're also lower in fiber and protein.
Fiber and Protein Rich
Each of the 16 servings contains 5.1 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, fulfilling a nice amount of daily requirements in just one bar.
Maple Syrup vs Coconut Sugar
Either can be used in this recipe. If using maple syrup, the topping will end up sticking together more than with coconut sugar. The image below is with maple syrup, the rest are with coconut sugar.
Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Equipment
- food processor
- oven
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup almonds or roasted and peeled chestnuts
- 6 medjool dates pitted
- ⅓ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 pound rhubarb ends removed and coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 pound strawberries crowns removed and coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup - make it ⅓ cup if you want it even sweeter
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or arrowroot or corn starch
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed ground
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or maple syrup (will make it stick together more as opposed to covering the whole top)
- 3 tablespoons oat flour or nut flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Process the crust ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Pour into the pan and press to flatten evenly with the palm of your hand or a spatula. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Place the filling ingredients into the food processor and pulse until just combined. Spread evenly over the baked crust.
- In a small bowl, stir the topping ingredients together until well combined. Crumble evenly over the filling. Place in the oven and bake 40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes, until the topping looks golden.
- Let cool for at least an hour before cutting into bars. Refrigerate or freeze.
