The best blueberry oat streusel bar recipe belongs in the make it simple, make it better recipe category. What makes it a better recipe is that it’s made with whole-grain flour rather than white flour and half of the oil has been replaced with applesauce. By making these slight adjustments, it is a healthier recipe, and by using rolled oats we added more fiber.
Baking as Therapy:
Some time ago I found a Huffington Post article that explains the benefits of baking for other people. Baking can be therapy. Any activity which takes your attention – especially if it’s simple and repetitive – can have a meditative quality. Over the years, I’ve learned that food helps to build trust and opens a way for communication. During these Covid 19 times and the impact, isolation has had on all of us, I think you agree, we can all use a sense of well-being. So baking with your family and getting everyone engaged is a better way to spend a day. A study, published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, suggests that people who frequently take a turn at small, creative projects like cooking or baking report feeling more relaxed and happier in their everyday lives.
Blueberries Facts:
Blueberries are often labeled as a superfood; they are low in calories and incredibly good for you.
To find information and the benefits of blueberries follow this link: 10 proven benefits of Blueberries.
Blueberries are among the most nutrient-dense berries. A one-cup (148-gram) serving of blueberries contains:
Fiber: 4 grams
Vitamin C: 24% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDI
Manganese: 25% of the RDI
They are also about 85% water, and an entire cup contains only 84 calories, with 15 grams of carbohydrates. Calorie for calorie makes them an excellent source of several important nutrients. One cup of blueberries delivers 14% of the recommended daily dose of fiber and nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
Recommended Dietary Intake of Nutrients:
Blueberries make a great contribution to meeting the Recommended Daily Intake of nutrients. A Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI), sometimes referred to as recommended daily intake, is the average daily intake level of a particular nutrient that is likely to meet the nutrient requirements of 97-98% of healthy individuals in a particular life stage or gender group.
Fresh Berries vs Frozen Berries:
There are definitely applications for both fresh and frozen blueberries. The North American blueberry season and harvest run from April to late September. Then, imports from South America fill the grocery store shelves from October to March. You may be surprised, research shows that frozen blueberries might have the edge over fresh berries when it comes to health. They are picked at the peak of the season and are flash-frozen. Frozen blueberries contain the same nutrients as fresh blueberries.
The Berry Filling:
Depending on the season, you might have a ton of fresh fruit on hand and want to use them for a filling or topping. Either fresh or frozen blueberries work with this recipe. In this recipe, frozen Michigan blueberries make the perfect spread for blueberry oat streusel bars. I’m a big fan of fresh berries, picked, and served in the season. However out of season, frozen berries save you money and as a bonus, they keep well in the freezer, for up to 10 months.
The Oat Crust & Oat Streusel:
The crust and streusel for the blueberry oat streusel bar are made from the same recipe, so it’s very convenient. I love streusel, full of buttery flavor and sweetness from the brown sugar. This oat-crust streusel topping can be used as well to top pies, muffins, cakes, and bread. There are a few basic steps to create a streusel topping. Small pieces of cold butter are blended into the oatmeal, flour, and sugar mix, and blended for about 5 minutes at medium speed. The mixture should be crumbly and not cohesive.
Oats 101:
Oats are really unique in the nourishment and health benefits they deliver. They are high in fiber, low in fat, and offer high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Oats are among the world’s healthiest grains and a good source of many vitamins, minerals, and unique plant compounds.
I recommend using rolled oats for the blueberry oat streusel bars. Rolled oats are thicker than quick-cooking oats. Plus rolled oats tend to be chewier in texture. It’s often referred to as bake with them as they produce a fluffier, heartier product. I tested my blueberry oat streusel bars with both quick oats and rolled oats. I realized quickly that baking with the quick oats resulted in a very disappointing bar; they tend to become mushy and almost seem to disappear in the final product. Stick with the rolled oats for this recipe.
How to Read Food Labels:
We all look at food labels for different reasons. But whatever the reason, many of us would like to know how to use this information more effectively and easily. I have attached a great link, on how to read nutrition labels from the American Heart Association that will help you make healthier choices to reduce your risk of heart disease, manage an existing disease, or care for a loved one.
The Best Blueberry Oat Streusel Bar
The Taste
Be warned they are addictive.
The brown sugar adds sweetness and flavor due to the Molasses that is in the sugar.
A moist streusel oat bar with just plain good berry flavor.
The Process
It’s as simple as it gets.
Easy to bake
The Verdict
One of my favorite recipes to bake.
An awesome dessert or a late afternoon snack.
The perfect snack for the kid’s backpack.
The Best Blueberry Oat Streusel Bars
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Blueberry filling
- 24 ounce blueberries frozen
- 6 ounce sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 ounce cold water
Dough
- 1 pound whole wheat flour
- 12 ounce old fashioned oatmeal
- 12 ounce light brown sugar
- 10 ounce butter, salted unsalted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ounce apple sauce, unsweetened
- 4 ounce extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Cook the blueberries
- Combine frozen blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, cook until thick stirring frequently.3 tbsp cornstarch, 2 ounce cold water, 6 ounce sugar
Make the dough
- Place flour, oats, and brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Blend until combined. Cut chilled butter into small pieces, add to flour, add vanilla extract and mix until the mixture resembles a coarse consistency. Add oil and apple sauce and blend for about 5 minutes to a crumble.1 pound whole wheat flour, 12 ounce old fashioned oatmeal, 12 ounce light brown sugar, 10 ounce butter, salted, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 ounce apple sauce, unsweetened, 4 ounce extra virgin olive oil
Assemble the oat streusel bars
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Set aside approximately 1/3 of the flour crumble mixture. Pour the remaining flour crumble mixture into a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Pat flour crumble mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Spread blueberry mixture on top all the way to the edges. Top blueberry mixture with reserved streusel.
Bake and cut the bars
- Bake at 350 F in the oven for 40 minutes or until the streusel is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling. Cool and cut into 40 bars.
Chef Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate
Nice texture, not too sweet and certainly yummy.
David, thank you for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the recipe, one of my favorites, easy to bake and big in flavor