Oatmeal, Carrot & Apple Breakfast Squares

4.5
Serves

Myra and Chef Sarah worked on this recipe for weeks, testing version after version until the result was a perfect breakfast square. Packed into every sweet and wholesome square are 8 grams of protein, 20 percent of your daily requirement for fiber, 10 percent of your calcium, and more than 100 percent of your vitamin A. Buttermilk keeps the cake tender, carrots and apples add moisture, and walnuts and coconut combine for a crunchy topping.

This recipe makes enough to feed a dozen, and the squares stay fresh and delicious for days. Although we call these "breakfast squares," you may like them best as an afternoon or late-night snack.

From The Earthbound Cook: 250 Recipes for Delicious Food and a Healthy Planet by Myra Goodman

Ingredients

  dash butter (for greasing the baking dish)
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (5 ounces)
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar (11-1/4 ounces)
2/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups peeled, grated Earthbound Farm Organic Carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
1 cup grated peeled Earthbound Farm Organic Apples (2 medium apples)
2 cups walnut pieces
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

Place the oats, flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and the oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk.

Add the oat mixture to the buttermilk mixture, and stir to combine. Add the carrots and apples, and stir just until blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish.

Place the walnuts, coconut, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir to blend, then sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the batter.

Bake the squares until the batter has set and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then cut into 12 pieces. (The squares can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.)