Oatmeal, Carrot, and Apple Breakfast Squares

By á-29897

Sarah LaCasse and I 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 over 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. And although we call these “breakfast squares,” you may like them best as an afternoon or late-night snack. --Myra Goodman, author, The Earthbound Cook

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing baking dish
• 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (11.25 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup organic canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups grated peeled carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
• 1 cup grated peeled apples (2 medium apples)
• TOPPING
• 2 cups walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup (scant 2 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Step 1

1.Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
2.Place the oats, flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3.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.
4.Place the walnuts, coconut, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir to blend, and sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the batter.
5.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.)