Yeah Thanksgiving is cool and all, but who else is here for the LEFTOVERS?
Anybody make a turkey sandwich with the moistmaker yet (if you know, you know)?
Unfortunately we don’t often get to relish in Thanksgiving leftovers because we typically drive to see Tyler’s family in Pennsylvania at Thanksgiving and stay put with my family in Virginia at Christmas. What this usually means is that we won’t be transporting a bunch of turkey and stuffing home with us to enjoy for days after the meal- though I do typically find a way to get extra pie. I am who I am.
One of the things that is often leftover (because it’s so easy to make a huge pot full) is cranberry sauce, and honestly what are you supposed to do with that if there’s no turkey to eat it with? Enter: cranberry oat bars! A delicious way to use your leftover sauce.
I have been making these for breakfast for the past two to three weeks and eating them with greek yogurt and extra cranberry sauce. It has basically been a twist on my usual breakfast of baked oatmeal with cottage cheese and jam. It was time for something new! The recipe itself makes for more of a sweet treat, so combining it with a protein based food is always best for a balanced meal. You can also sub 2-3 scoops of protein powder for the 1/2 cup of whole wheat or oat flour, and the consistency will be very similar but with a protein boost.
Don’t forget to tag me on instagram if you try these! I love to see you make my creations.
Cranberry Oat Bars
Equipment
- 9×9 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp coconut oil melted
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- 14 oz can of cranberry sauce (or 1.5 cups homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the pumpkin, oil, and cranberry sauce. Mix thoroughly.
- Add in pumpkin and coconut oil and mix well. The mixture should be lumpy without much dry flour left.
- Pour 2/3 of the mixture into the pan and press down firmly with a spoon so that it forms a thick layer that evenly covers the pan.
- Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the first layer, completely covering it.
- Pour the remaining mix over the sauce and press down gingerly so that the oats stick to the wet cranberry sauce.
- Bake 25-30 minutes (the top layer will not change color much).
