Raspberry Peach Bars

The most common question I'm being asked is if I actually eat the things I make. The answer is, I do, and I love it. Then I'm usually asked how am I not huge, and the answer is simple, I work out and I don't eat like this ALL the time. For example, the day I made and ate the Tower of Love burger (also know as the Heart Attack Sandwich), I pretty much ate grapes and strawberries all day. You know, prep the body for what it was about to take in later. As for working out, I'm a monster in spandex at least 4 days a week, one of which is spent in Zumba. Don't know what Zumba is? The most fun you will ever have Latin dancing and booty popping with pelvic thrusts thrown in. Tower of Love was also eaten on Zumba day. 

Ok, so that was taken at my friends birthday party, but you get the general Zumba idea.

As for how I eat regularly, I would say I'm a pretty healthy eater. My hardest habit to break is sugar. I have a massive sweet tooth, so I'm constantly trying to come up with ways to feed my sugar addiction (or curb it? hm...) without feeling too guilty about it. Fruit based treats are always a good place to start when trying to come up with something that won't make a person feel bad about eating it later, throw in some oats for some added fiber and you're good to go. I like the idea of fruit bars because they're such an easy way to use up fruit that may have been sitting in your fridge for too long. I had some raspberries and peaches that had both gotten pretty mushy and I used those as the fruit layer. The crust and topping are very basic, so this recipe is very flexible, use what you want/have and enjoy!

Raspberry Peach Bars

-2 cups flour

-1 cup brown sugar

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-2 sticks of butter (I started with a stick and worked my up to two, I suggest doing the same so that as you mix you get a feel for the consistency you want, just make sure it's cold)

-1 and 1/2 cups oats (I used the kind you can microwave, I don't think it makes a difference at all, I know some people are super anti-instant oatmeal, but dude, get over it)

-2 cups or more fruit, depending on how thin or thick you want the fruit layer to be (I used a mix of raspberries and peaches, feel free to switch it up and be creative!)

Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with wax paper, or butter the bejeepers out of it. In a bowl mix together, the flour, brown sugar, oats, and baking soda. Cut the butter into little chunks and mix into the dry ingredients with your hands to make a crumbly mixture, continue to add butter until the mixture sticks together but still crumbles. This is not a cookie dough by any means. Press about half or more of the mixture into the baking tray. I wanted a thicker crust and a thinner topping, so I would say I pressed about two thirds of the mix into the tray and reserved one third for topping. 

Mix together you fruit filling. Mine was super juicy so I threw in a couple spoons of flour (I'm assuming cornstarch would do the same trick) to keep it from making everything soggy. Layer it evenly on top of the crust and cover with the remaining crust mixture. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about half an hour or until it starts to brown on the edges. 

See, brown edges.

Let it cool before you start cutting it, it's very flimsy when hot but firms and really keeps together as it cools. 

I'd love to hear what fruit combo's everyone comes up with!