Stop Saying No to Dessert

Sarah Nelson - Slow Foodie

In my article “Dancing to a Slow Jam” in which I discussed making jelly, I made the point that knowing
how to preserve food is only a good skill to have if you actually eat the food that you’ve stored away.
With that in mind, I wanted to pull out some of my delicious strawberry jelly to prove my point.

You’re in for a very special treat because as a general rule, I am not a baker. Not because I can’t bake,
mind you, but because I’m lucky enough to be married to a true baker. This man takes time researching
and perfecting his recipes so when the oven needs to be turned on, I defer to the master. However, as
gardening season begins to wind down, I find myself spending more time in the kitchen without the
canner so…….Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.

Now, I would be remiss at this point, if I didn’t tell you the nutritional benefits of the yummy concoction
we are about to make.

Strawberries: when you look at this red, heart-shaped fruit, it is practically telling you straight-away
that it’s gonna be great for your heart health by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering blood
pressure.

Strawberries are also sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in calories. Additionally, they are
full of fiber, antioxidants like polyphenols and vitamins. As a matter of fact, eight strawberries contain
more Vitamin C than a whole orange!

Finished Jelly

Let’s get back to the polyphenols. Polyphenol is a chemical found in plants. Strawberries contain
a polyphenol called ellagic acid. Cancer studies have shown that this acid prevents cancers of the
bladder, lung, breast, esophagus and skin. It does this by actually deactivating particular cancer-causing substances. Pretty amazing stuff.

These polyphenols have anti-inflammatory attributes as well which can help stave off things like
osteoarthritis, asthma and atherosclerosis by acting within our bodies the same way that aspirin or
ibuprofen does.

The other main ingredient of this dessert is rolled oats. If you haven’t heard enough about the
nutritional benefits of oatmeal from the Quaker Oats people, let me give you the short story. Oatmeal is also a cancer-fighting food, and similar to the strawberry, oatmeal isn’t just cholesterol-free; it actually
helps lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Now you know that this dessert is actually be good for you! Isn’t that a foreign concept? For many
people saying no to dessert has been a test of their self-discipline which, if they were able to pull it off, gave them the right to act self-righteous. They were just doing what was good for their health.

Bah humbug, I say! This recipe is a case of having your cake and eating it too.

Before I fast-forward to the recipe, here’s the other thing you should know about me: In the kitchen,
I’m lazy. I do not delight in super-complicated recipes. Julia Child and I probably would never have been friends. I believe that if cooking needs to involve blood, sweat and tears, I would be opting out of the program. I like my food to be healthy, taste delicious and be easy to accomplish. That’s it. Never fear that I will lead you into recipes that require an extensive knowledge of chemical reactions and the use of butane torches!

Without further ado, here it is:

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
(as adapted from a recipe on www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
A dash of salt
1 cup of rolled oats
½ cup of butter, softened and cut into small squares

½ a pint of strawberry jelly (I used a tiny bit more as I was pouring from a pint jar)
4 large strawberries, roughly chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray. (*Tip about cooking spray
at end of recipe!)

Combine the first 6 ingredients using either a mixer, pastry blender or your hands. It will be crumbly.

Press about ½ of the mixture into the bottom of your pan. Spread jam over the top. Sprinkle the
chopped strawberries over the jam and then top with the rest of your crumbled mixture pressing down
lightly with your fingers.

Bake about 35-40 minutes or until the bars are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool before
cutting.

Enjoy!

Finished Dessert

TIP: Before I leave you to your strawberry goodness, here’s my quick tip on making your own cooking
spray with no chemical propellents! Buy a food grade, plastic spray bottle. Use distilled, boiled water
and mix two parts of the water with one part oil. You may need to increase your water ratio to create
a “spray” versus a “jet”. You should only make small batches at a time and keep it in the fridge to
prevent bacterial build-up. Always clean your spray bottle well before mixing up a new batch.

Happy eating!
Sarah