Oatmeal Breakfast Blondie

3 more days until Spring is officially here.

We are getting a real preview here in NYC of it, and I am one happy girl.
I made these delicious bars for breakfast yesterday morning and they started me off on the best day.  They are filled with oats, spelt, flax and dried fruit.  Sweet from brown sugar and medjool dates, they truly taste like a decadent blondie.
They fill you up and keep you moving.

I was meeting a friend downtown for lunch and I walked a good part of the way, but after a long walk, and still a long way to go, I decided to look for a bus.
Just as I had that thought, a bus pulled up right next to me and opened up its doors. Like I had wished it there.

Of course, it was simply that I was standing at a bus stop at exactly the right moment.  When I got on the bus the driver winked at me, reading my thoughts, and said, "Some lucky day, huh?"

Everyday should be so easy....

Make some of these and see how your day turns out!

Oatmeal Breakfast Blondie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 11x13 baking dish with parchment paper so that the paper hangs out an inch on either side.  Lightly spray the paper with non-dairy cooking spray.

Whisk together in a medium bowl:

2 cups of organic spelt flour

1 1/3 cups organic rolled oats

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups organic light brown sugar

Combine in a separate bowl:

2/3 cup organic olive oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoon best quality vanilla

Combine wet to dry and mix to a sticky batter.

Fold in:

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Mix and then fold in:

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (I like Medjool, but use what you like)

1/4 cup of cherries

1/4 cup vegan chocolate mini chips  (optional but delicious!)

If you leave out the chips you may want to up the cherries to 1/2 a cup

Spread mixture using wet hands to smooth it out and push it into the corners evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown and the batter feels firm.

Remove from oven and allow to cool about 20 minutes in the pan.  Using the parchment paper, lift the cooled rectangle onto a wire rack.  Let it cool completely before cutting, otherwise it may crumble.

I like to wrap these individually and store them in the freezer. They will last more than a month and the texture frozen is as delicious as thawed.  Your choice!  Enjoy~