Blueberry Layered Oatmeal Squares

This is another recipe where you could use convenient year-round frozen blueberries if you wanted to.  I would add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch for the filling though because frozen berries seem to make extra liquid.

Either way, for thin skinned fruit like blueberries, try to use organic.

You could, use regular blueberries, but you will get more juice than from the smaller wild blueberries.

Wild blueberries are high in fibre, detoxify heavy metals and of course are high in anthocyanins, antioxidants that give these berries their colour and keep your heart, skin and brain youthful.

Then you layer them with oatmeal, also a good source of antioxidants, good for your digestion and heart.

Now you are a powerhouse.

You could also heat it and have it with ice cream, which is something else altogether and super good comfort.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven 350°F/180°C

2. In a medium saucepan, before turning on the heat, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch and ground ginger.  

3. Add the orange juice and lemon juice.  Mix well.

4. Heat on medium high, stirring until it comes to a boil.

5. Stir in the blueberries and heat until boiling again.

6. Lower heat and cook for about 5 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.

8. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

9. Stir in the oats.

10. Add the butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or two knives.  

You could also use a food processor, but add the oats for the last few pulses.  You don’t want to grind them up too much.

11. Line a 9”/23cm square pan.

12. Press about half of the oatmeal mixture evenly into the pan.  Err on the side of more for the bottom.

13. Spread the cooled blueberry sauce on top and finish with the rest of the oatmeal mixture, pressing lightly.

14. Bake for about 45 minutes.

15. Let cool completely before cutting or it will crumble a lot and the filling needs to set.