Fig Oat Bars

Ingredients   

Crust:

• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 ¾ cups oat flour
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup almond butter
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk 
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Filling:

• 12-14 ounces dried figs, stems removed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch sea salt

‍ Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. You can also use silicone pans that require no parchment paper or oil.
2. Place the flax meal and water into a small bowl, stir, and set aside.
3. Place the dried figs into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow them to sit in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain.
4. For the crust: In a medium size bowl, whisk the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flax and water mixture, almond butter, applesauce, milk, and vanilla until very smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Divide the dough into two.
5. For the filling: To a food processor, add the drained figs, lemon juice, and vanilla and process until a thick paste begins to form. You may need to pulse early in the process, adding more speed as the figs begin to break apart. You can even add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture doesn’t form a paste.
6. Spread half of the dough mixture onto the prepared baking pan. A simple way to spread the dough is by using a wet rubber spatula. Dip the spatula into a bowl of water as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Bake the bottom layer for 10 minutes. 
7. Remove the bottom layer from the oven and spread the fig paste over the bottom layer and use a wet spatula to continue spreading evenly. Top the fig paste with the remaining dough and spread with a wet spatula.
8. Bake the fig bars for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow the bars to completely cool before cutting. When they are ready, remove them from the pan by lifting the sides of the parchment paper and placing it onto a clean cutting surface. If you are using a silicone pan you can cut and remove them directly from the pan. Serve these for breakfast, snack, or dessert!