Raspberry Crumble Bars

It’s the month of love, & I think you & your tastebuds are gonna love these delicious bars! 😋 Healthier & easy-to-make (I add some protein powder to the main mixture which serves as both the base & golden crumble topping!), with some chia seeds snuck into the sweet & jammy middle 🙌

So good just how they are, but I especially love them paired with yogurt for a perfect cozy breakfast, with coffee for an afternoon snack, or warmed up in the microwave & topped with some ice cream for dessert! And this color just makes them the prettiest Valentine’s Day treat, don’t you think? 🥰 Makes 9 bars.

For the crust & crumble topping, in a bowl mix:

-1 1/2 cups almond flour

-1 cup rolled oats

-1/4 cup vanilla protein powder

-3 tbsp maple syrup

-3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

-pinch of salt

Measure out 1/3 cup of mixture & set aside to use later for the crumble topping. Pour & then press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a lined 8x8 pan.

For the filling, in a saucepan add:

-3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

-1/3 cup maple syrup

-1 tsp lemon juice

-pinch of salt

Stir over medium heat & once boiling, mash berries over low heat with a fork until the mixture resembles more of a jam.

Then, stir in:

-3 tbsp cornstarch

-2 tbsp chia seeds

Continue cooking until thick, about another minute. Then remove from heat.

Pour & evenly spread this filling over the crust, then sprinkle the reserved crumble topping over the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Let cool & chill in the fridge for at least an hour (or in the freezer to save some time!) before slicing into squares. Enjoy!