Rhubarb Bars Recipe

Need a spring-inspired treat that’s potluck ready? You’ll love these bars from the beautiful new cookbook More with Less: Whole Food Cooking Made Irresistibly Simple by Jodi Moreno. (Pick it up for clean eating inspiration in 10 ingredients or less!) The tender, gluten-free crust gets its hint of sweetness from maple syrup, and an almond-rhubarb filling nestles on top before baking. Rhubarb has a short growing season so if you miss them at the market, not to worry! “If you don’t have any rhubarb or it’s not in season, you can make this recipe with any sliced fruit or berries,” Jody notes. “Peaches, blueberries, or apples would all make wonderful substitutes.”

Rhubarb Bars

Yield: 9 (3-inch) bars
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust
1 cup oat flour
1 cup Thrive Market Organic Sprouted Brown Rice Flour
½ cup Thrive Market Organic Maple Syrup
½ cup Thrive Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the almond rhubarb filling
2 cups almond slivers
2 tablespoons oat flour
⅔ cup coconut palm sugar
½ cup Thrive Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ pound (6 large stalks) rhubarb, cut in half lengthwise

Special equipment
9 x 9-inch baking pan
Parchment paper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper, going in different directions, enough to come up and over each side (this will make them easy to remove).

Make the crust
In a large mixing bowl, add the oat flour, brown rice flour, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt, and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined pan and press evenly on all sides. Bake for 10 minutes, remove, and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.

Make the almond rhubarb filling
Put the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the almonds to a food processor and add the oat flour, sugar, and olive oil, and pulse several times until you have a coarse but consistent mixture. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the crust. Arrange the rhubarb on top, any way you like.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft and cooked through. Let the pan cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove the bars and cutting into them. Once ready, lift the parchment out of the pan and transfer to a flat surface to cut the bars into squares. The bars will keep for several days on the countertop, in an airtight container.

From More with Less: Whole Food Cooking Made Irresistibly Simple by Jodi Moreno © 2018 by Jodi Moreno. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.