The Best Sugar-Free Strawberry Oat Bars Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Diabetes-Friendly)

#CookingWithIsabelle

Take advantage of the abundance of fresh berries at your local market this summer and bake up a batch of my sugar-free strawberry oat bars! A sweet strawberry jam is sandwiched between a healthy buttery oat meal crust with a hint of nutty flavour! These yummy bars are vegan, gluten free, no sugar, and totally delish!

Strawberries are bright red, juicy, sweet, and my latest obsession this season.

I have to say, as recovered sugar addict and a someone who helps folks break cravings and negative eating patterns, I know that summer can be just as a hard time for those of us trying to keep wellness and health goals in mind as the winter. With all the sweet fresh desserts going around, it can prove difficult not to indulge in a s’more or rice crispy treat while out at a gathering with friends in the great outdoors.

Finally A Healthy Sugar-Free Snack Bar Recipe

Many of us like to spend time outdoors during the summer doing fun activities like hiking or swimming at the beach, but sadly a bad habit many of us (I use to do the same thing!) fall into is rewarding ourselves for being active or mindlessly believing its okay to keep snacking on the food friends brought because you’re being active. Unfortunately, this is a common misconception.

Going No-Sugar

Excessive sugar and junk food consumption can cause long-term damage us whether we’re active, skinny or overweight. No discrimination! And it can effect our fun, by leading to constant cravings (which means to many trips to the dessert table), low energy and a weakened immune system (not good for summer fun), bloating and weight gain (leaving us self conscious in hot weather style), insomnia, and the list goes on!

We need to be fueling ourselves with nutrition and re-charging foods not empty chips and sugar packed snack bars.

Of course this doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice summer-ey treats for health. You can have the best of both worlds with my filling and delicious Sugar-Free Strawberry Oat Bars!!

Perfect for packing on a trip, breakfast or just any ol’ day you’re craving sweet summer berries, my sugar-free strawberry oat bars are those fresh fruity yummy dessert or breakfast summer-ey treat you’ve been looking for - and I have to say it maybe the BEST fruity bar recipe of the year.

Made with a perfectly sweet crust with an almost soft ‘sugar cookie’ texture and crumbly toasted top, and a balanced juicy jammy strawberry filling, this makes quite a delicious mouthful!

Even better? These sugar-free strawberry bars are healthy, have vegan options, no refined flour, low calorie… and completely sugar free and sweetener free!

Gosh I just love these bars. The textures are fantastic, with a thick oat-y base with a slight fruity flavor thanks to the mashed banana, a thicker strawberry filling with a fruity vibrant punch, and the slight toasted top hitting you with texture… just making for a completely wonderful bite.

Whether you’re celebrating 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Mother’s Day or just craving a sweet breakfast these bars won’t disappoint. Basically these sugar-free homemade bars will serve nicely as a healthy light dessert, breakfast, or snack.

Thank goodness these bars are healthy… because these make for the best strawberry dessert to relish and enjoy all summer long! Can it get any better?!

What are you waiting for… let’s throw together a batch of these sugar-free strawberry snack bars! Let’s get it I shall we!

Sugar-Free Strawberry Oat Bars

🖨️ [PRINT THIS RECIPE]

Isabelle McKenzie | July 2020

• prep time: 40 minutes
• cook time: 25 minutes
• total time: 65 minutes

Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS:

Crust and Crumble:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut or coarsely ground or chopped nuts,
• 2 eggs or 2 chia eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk or almond milk
• 7 tbsp of butter, melted or coconut oil, melted
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp liquid stevia

Strawberry Filling:

• 4 cups of sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1-2 tsp vanilla crème stevia drops
• pinch of salt

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease the bottom of a baking pan. Combine all the crust ingredients in a large bowl and mix until just combined. Scoop out about 1/4 of the mixture and set aside ready to be your crumble. Spread evenly and press the remaining mixture into the prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove crust and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl toss and combine the strawberries, vanilla, and lemon. Place into a medium saucepan or cast iron skillet and heat to medium/high and bring the strawberry mix to a boil. Stir often. Once its at a boil, turn your heat down to low. Leave simmering for 20 minutes and continue stirring.
3. After 20 minutes, add in your 1 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir thoroughly until the clumps fade and the filling is thick. Spread the strawberry mix evenly over the crust and evenly sprinkle the crumble mix you set aside over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 mins in the pan. Remove from pan and leave to cool further. Chop into squares and enjoy!

Nutrition:

• Serving: 1 square
• Fat: 11.4g
• Calories: 202
• Carb: 22g

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If you give this recipe a go, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @itsisabellem and using hashtag #cookingwithisabelle and I’ll share it!

Happy cooking!

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