Gluten-Free Cranberry Oat Bars

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Homemade Cranberry Sauce:

• 12 ounces cranberries
• 1/3 cup whole sugar
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon gelatin, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gluten Free Oat Bars:

• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups organic sorghum flour
• 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole sugar
• 1/2 cup palm shortening
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix cranberries, sugar, and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until all cranberries pop. Add in cornstarch, gelatin, and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, combine oats, rice flour, sorghum flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix well. Add in palm shortening and coconut oil. Mix by hand until the mixture forms small crumbs.

Grease a 9 x13-inch pan with coconut oil and press crumb mixture (reserving about two cups for topping) in an even layer on the bottom. Spread cranberry sauce over the crumb layer. Sprinkle reserved topping in an even layer.

Bake for 25 minutes or until top begins to brown. Remove and allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Marijah from Columbia, KY, won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipes and photos here!

Pumpkin, Cranberry, Pecan Cider Bread

Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs, (large)
• 1/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
• 1/3 cup dark maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a saucepan, boil the cider until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup and let cool. Note: this step can be done ahead of time and the reduced cider refrigerated or frozen until you need it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest, vanilla, and reduced cider.

Add the flour, flax, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices. Mix well and add the pecans and cranberries until just combined.

Transfer batter into greased loaf pan and baked in the middle of the oven for one hour or until tester comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan, then slice.

Recipe and photo submitted by Kristen, Mattapoisett, MA.

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