RunAmok Mama's Triple Berry Cookie Bars!

RunAmok Mama's Triple Berry Cookie Bars... with a cup of Swanson's Certified Organic Rooibos tea!

Simple enough to make for a quick treat on a regular ol' day... yet these cookie bars are easily "dressed up" for special occasions... and the filling ideas are absolutely limitless! 

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the girls insisted we "had" to go with an appropriate pink berry filling... but an apricot-pineapple-mango filling is absolutely DELICIOUS... and raspberry is another "must try"!

Now, just as a side note... When you get to the ingredient listing, you are going to wonder WHY I am homeschooling our children -- because I clearly cannot do simple math!  The truth is, "RunAmok Mama's Quadruple Berry Cookie Bars" would have been a horrible name...

So... I lured you here under false pretenses -- but figured you would probably forgive me IF I offered you this fun recipe!  

This recipe is "on-plan" for Trim Healthy Mama... but for practical purposes, I want you to understand we are mixing fuels (both fats and carbs) so this practice would be considered a
"Crossover". 

Yeah, yeah... I know SOMEONE is going to sit down and figure out the numbers...  If you are THAT person, just save yourself - you really don't need to!  

Now, if you disregard me... IF you were to painstakingly figure the carbs and fat from the oats, as well as the fats from the coconut oil and butter, you would find 1 of these little gems could squeeze into "FP"... 2 would be in a funny little "Nowhere land" - too much fat for E, not enough carbs... 3 would be encroaching on "Crossover" territory... but still skimping on the carbs just a bit...  but, I have to ask...

"WHY ON EARTH would you bother to take all that time and effort when you don't really need to?

I intentionally colored outside the lines a bit by using both S & E ingredients, this treat is not really designed to promote weight-loss, but unless you were to scarf down half the recipe, these would not be promoting weight-gain either.  You can simply enjoy a "few" of these as a Crossover snack or dessert - No stress.  No deep thinking.  No counting on fingers and toes. 

[Now, for clarity... DO NOT "scarf down" half this recipe along with a meal... or you will be pushing limits too far!]

We utilize Crossovers for our children and for my husband far more often than I do for myself... but recipes like this are fun and they ARE on-plan, so do not be afraid to shake things up a bit on occasion - Your metabolism may just need that little jolt! 

Also note... Sweetness is a very personal thing... Start with less sweetener than I have listed here and add a bit at a time - when your taste-buds are "HAPPY" - this would be considered, "sweetened to taste".

INGREDIENTS:
(Yield - 20 Cookie Bars)

1 ¼ C *Slim Belly Jelly OR an on-plan Fruit Spread (see below note)
1 C + 2 TBS Oat Flour (We ground our own in the blender)
1 C + 2 TBS Thick-cut Oats
¼ C **Homemade Brown Sugar Substitute (or "to taste")
3 TBS Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, room temperature
2-3 TBS water
1 TBS Butter, room temperature
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp THM Super Sweet Blend (or 1 “doonk” THM Pure Stevia Extract) or  "to taste"
1/4 tsp THM Himalayan Mineral Salt
1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

*Our SBJ was made with Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries & a handful of Blueberries for added color - p 411, Trim Healthy Mama.  If you do not already have your favorite "Slim Belly Jelly" made up, you can either make it quickly now, or use an on-plan Fruit spread - but the numbers would change slightly from what we used here. 

**This particular "Homemade Brown Sugar Substitute" is made with ¼ C THM Super Sweet Blend + ¼ tsp Black-strap molasses, mixed thoroughly. 

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

1.  Into a medium bowl, add oat flour, oats, homemade brown sugar substitute, cinnamon, stevia, salt and vanilla extract and mix well.

2.  Add coconut oil, butter and 1 TBS water to the oat mixture. Using a pastry cutter, or fork, "cut" the fats into the dry mix, until it forms course crumbs.  If mixture is too dry to stick to itself when pressed, add another TBS water and stir until mixture holds together better. 

3.  Measure 1 TBS mixture into each silicone form (or cupcake pan).  Press down firmly, so the crusts hold together.

Then..........

4.  Measure 1 TBS of Slim Belly Jelly (or alternate) and pour on top of each crust.

Then..........

5.  Measure 1 TBS crust mix into top of the jelly filling.  Press down gently - enough to "sink" the oat mixture into the jelly just slightly.

Then..........  (I like to add a little suspense!)

6.  Cook for 15- 18 minutes, at 400°F, or until oats are golden brown and jelly mixture is bubbling.

7.  Carefully place on cookie cooling rack and allow to cool before gently turning upside down and pressing the silicone molds lightly to release. 

If you are chomping at the bit, you can flip a couple onto a plate while they are warm... but I won't promise they will stay together! 

Once cooled, they hold their shape much more readily - and can be held in the hand and eaten.

These are delicious crumbled over (or blended into) Tummy Tucking Ice Cream!
(p 368 of Trim Healthy Mama!) 

RunAmok Mama's Triple Berry Cookie Bars, served with a warm cup of Swanson's Organic Rooibos tea...