Blueberry Peach Cobbler Bars (vegan)

Last night for dinner we ate out. Out of our garden that is. It was pure love let me tell you. So fresh and flavorful. True payback after weeks of work and tender-lovin'. I steamed green beans with a little drizzle of olive oil and sea salt and cracked pepper(my favorite!), then added in a sweet onion and zucchini saute, along with steamed broccoli with a sprinkle of sea salt and red pepper. Super simple veggie sides (or shall I say main course!). They are so wonderful you don't need to do much. I promise. Also, with some fresh heirloom tomatoes I made a roasted with basil to make a fresh tomato sauce to pour over a bed of brown rice pasta. It was a dinner from heaven. And, I loved watching my boys eat their veggies. Especially my little babe with his pudgy fingers, and watching him lick his lips for more zucchini (his favorite!). So precious.

And after the evening chores of dishes, sweeping and taking our evening walk around the neighborhood. The babe got a bubble bath and went quickly to bed to leave me and the hubby with a quiet night at home. At last. The hubby and I settled in for some reading... and some cobbler. Cobbler bars that I made earlier in the day. So they are a bit less decadent that a bubbling cobbler in the oven ready to eat warm with some homemade vegan ice cream, but still amazing none the less. They are hard not to want more. It's like a fruit cookie, or pie. So you must stop yourself to savor the goodness and enjoy it while the bountiful fresh fruit is in season. A perfect ending to a gorgeous summer day!

I have been trying to come up with a cobbler-fruit bar that would stick together for years. And this one is a bit crumbly, but holds together quite nicely. I am pretty excited about this recipe, and hope to make it again and again in the future. It was also baby-approved. He really loves blueberries, and I love his jam covered face. So yummy to kiss!

So, here is my newest favorite bar recipe.... I promise it won't disappoint...

Blueberry Peach Cobbler Bar Recipe (vegan)

Base and Topping:

3/4 cup of gluten-free oat flour (grind oats in a blender to make your own)

1/4 cup of rolled gluten-free oats

1 cup of sweet sorghum whole grain flour

1/2 cup of tapioca flour

1 ts. of baking powder

1 ts. of baking soda

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1 ts. of ground cinnamon

1/3 cup of slightly ground raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of organic coconut palm sugar 

1 TB of flaxmeal

wet:

2 TB of non-dairy milk (I used hemp milk)

1/4 cup of applesauce

3 TB of warmed coconut oil or olive oil

3 TB of vegan butter (Earth Balance-soy free is what I use)

Mix all of the dry ingredients together first and then add the oil and the vegan butter. Mix with a fork like you are making a pie crust and then add the applesauce and milk. Then continue mixing until you get a sticky, crumbly base. Divide the base in half in the bowl and take half of it and press it one inch thin on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Oil the pan first if you are worried about sticking. Then use a cup or spoon to press out evenly in the pan. Then, the base is ready to fill with fruit. The leftover cobbler batter save in the bowl to use as the topping...

Fruit Filling:

3 cups of washed fresh blueberries

2 cups of thinly sliced fresh peaches

2 TB of tapioca flour (starch could work here too)

2-3 TB of maple syrup or more coconut sugar

squeeze of fresh lemon or add a splash of vanilla

In another bowl, mix the fresh berries and peach slices with some flour and syrup. It should create a syrupy coating over the fruit, and then pour evening over the cobbler base in the pan.

Then, take the remaining cobbler base and crumble it over the fruit. There will be lots of fruit showing. It is not meant to cover the whole fruit filling completely. Then sprinkle some raw sunflower seeds if you wish, or if you prefer you could use a chopped nut as well.

Then, bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. You will know it is done when you see the fruit bubbling, the crust is golden and your kitchen smells like heaven.

Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into. This will help reduce the mess and keep the bars intact. The 9x13 pan can be evenly cut into 20 bars (4x5).

Well friends, that is it... a new favorite summer fruit recipe that will have you coming back for more. I hope you enjoy and have a fabulous weekend. It is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous weather here (maybe squeeze another beach day?).... yet, as we watch the national weather sending out much love and prayers to those preparing for the hurricane on the east coast. Praying for safety and strength for all.

Much love to you!