Blackberry Bars



Blackberry Bars are one of our favorite spring breakfasts.  The first year we moved to the 'country', we harvested 5 gallons of wild blackberries from our lower field so I had lots to experiment with and, I love to create healthy breakfast pastries. (I think this is my German heritage in my blood - my ancestors came to America and opened a bakery!) 

After our unusual year being blessed with wild blackberries, we then found 5 pound bags of organic blackberries in the freezer section at Costco.  I wish they would get them in again.  I am always on the look out for organic blackberries to be on sale.

This recipe takes a little more effort to make, but it is incredibly good.  A food processor is required to make this. 

Ingredients (I use all organic):

Crust
1/2 cup dates with oat flour or pitted date chunks
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 Tbl sunflower seeds
1 cup whole grain pastry flour(s)
   (I use 1/2 cup Prairie Gold whole wheat berries and 1/4 cup spelt berries, ground fine)
pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup cold butter

Filling
1/2 cup sour cream (I use homemade yogurt sour cream)
1 range-free egg, fork beaten
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl maple syrup
1 heaping cup organic blackberries (or 1 10-oz bag)

Place dates and walnuts in food processor and process until coarse meal.  Place sesame seeds (white and black) and sunflower seeds in a small coffee grinder (I have one dedicated to grinding seeds) and grind to powder.  Place ground seeds, flour and nutmeg into date/walnut mix.  Cut up cold butter and place chunks in food processor and process until coarse meal. 

Grease with butter an 8" square glass pan.  Remove about a cup of the crust mixture to reserve for topping.  Press the remainder into the bottom of the greased pan.  Scrape out food processor bowl well, but you don't need to clean it yet.

Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Place blackberries into food processor and process briefly.  In a separate bowl, combine the remaining filling ingredients.  Stir in the blackberries and then pour mixture over the crust.  Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture on top.  Bake at 350 °F for 35 minutes or until set.