These tasty bars can be made using any type of jam or preserves – or try them with mincemeat or leftover cranberry sauce, spiked with a bit of orange zest.
Ingredients
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry red lentils
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, cut into pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) corn syrup
1 cup (250 ml) jam, preserves or mincemeat
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with water and bring to a simmer; cook for 8–10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and syrup and pulse until well combined and crumbly. Transfer to a bowl and add the lentils; toss to combine.
Press a little more than half into the bottom of a parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan, spread with the jam, and sprinkle the rest of the crumble mixture on top, squeezing a bit as you go to create larger clumps.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, until pale golden and the jam is bubbling around the edges. Cool before cutting into squares. Makes 16 squares.
Per square: 202 calories, 6.1 g fat (3.8 g saturated fat, 1.7 g monounsaturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 15 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrate, 3.3 g protein, 1.7 g fibre.
Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, Nov/Dec 2016.
