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Blueberry Oat Bars Recipe

Blueberry Oat Bars Recipe

Aug 5, 2023 | Recipes | 0 comments

Blueberry Oat Bar

Are you looking for a blueberry recipe? 

At Abers Acres, we have three ways you can buy organic blueberries from us. 

  • You-Pick during the u-pick season, where you pick your own fresh blueberries directly from our fields. 
  • Already picked blueberries from our farm stand or one of the farmers’ markets we attend.
    These blueberries are picked fresh daily.
  • Frozen blueberries from the farm stand and sometimes from the sales room once the stand closes in the fall. 
    These blueberries get frozen when there is an abundance of blueberries at the peak of the blueberry season.  

Regardless if you use fresh or frozen organic blueberries, the following recipe is a must try. 

Blueberry Oat Bar Recipe

 

Supplies needed: 

  • Sheet cake pan 17″ x 12 x 1
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Measuring Cups
  • 2 mixing bowels
  • Fork or spoon for mixing ingredients together.
  • Pan to heat blueberry mixture on the stove top.

Ingredients Needed: 

  • 1 3/4 cups uncooked oats (quick or old fashion)
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) 
  • extra nuts to sprinkle on top (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
  • 3/4 cups butter melted
  • extra butter to grease the pan
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/4 cup organic cornstarch (flour may be substituted)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Blueberry Oat Bar

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Butter pan and set aside.
  • Combine the following in one bowel: Oats, flour, brown sugar, nuts (optional), baking soda, salt. Mix until crumbly.
    Save 3/4 of a cup of this mixture for later use.
  • Press the remaining mix into the bottom of your cake pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Your crust will be partially cooked. 
  • On the stovetop over low to medium heat, combine granulated sugar and water until the sugar melts.
  • Add blueberries, bring mixture to a boil.
  • While stirring, simmer 2 minutes uncovered. Removed from heat.
  • In a separate dish combine lemon juice, organic cornstartch (or flour) with 1 tablespoon water.
  • Slowly add lemon juice mix to the blueberry mixture. 
  • Stir as it thickens. 

Once blueberry mix thickens pour it over your partially baked crust. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of oatmeal mix on top.
Sprinkle optional nuts on top for a crunchy taste.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown on top.
This recipe makes about 24 bars depending on how large you cut them.

You can easily double or cut the recipe in half depending on your needs.

Once cooled to the touch cut and serve.

If you happen to have any bars left over store them in your refrigerator for best keeping.

Enjoy!

The Best Way to Store Your Freshly Picked Strawberries.

The Best Way to Store Your Freshly Picked Strawberries.

Jun 26, 2023 | Storing Produce | 0 comments

Quart basket of red strawberries

Organic fresh picked strawberries either by you or us, gives you the sweetest taste, highest nutritional, and safest strawberries to eat and store. But you can only eat so many fresh organic strawberries at one time.

Plus, the strawberries are only fresh each year for a short period of time.

At Abers Acres we have two strawberry seasons. Spring strawberries are available between mid June to mid July. Fall strawberries are usually available in September. Exact time frame depends on the weather.

The most common questions we get about strawberries are about storage. You want to know how long your freshly picked organic strawberries will last. Plus, you want to know how to store your strawberries for long-term storage.

How to keep your fresh organic strawberries fresh for the longest period of time?

Strawberries are a delicate fruit and like it dry and cool. Moisture and heat promotes mold and spoiling more quickly.

Do not rinse strawberries until you’re ready to use them. Rinsing or washing strawberries will make them go bad faster.

If you cannot sort and prepare your strawberries when you get home, put them in the refrigerator immediately. And DO NOT forget about them.

Sometimes strawberries from the u-pick field will feel warmer because you just picked them and they haven’t been refrigerated yet.

Once you get your strawberries home from the farm stand, farmers’ market, or u-pick strawberry field, do the following.

  • Sort through your strawberries, checking and removing bruised, smashed, or moldy berries. From the markets and farm stand, you shouldn’t find any mold. But the weight of the berries, heat in your car and length of time in your car can make them softer.
  • Place strawberries in a container, or on a towel in single layers.
    By placing the strawberries in single layers, your strawberries will last longer in the refrigerator.
  • Cover loosely with a light towel or paper towel.
  • Store in a cool area of your refrigerator. Crisper drawers work really well.
    The optimal temperature for refrigerated strawberries is between 32 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Do not use plastic wrap, plastic bags or an air-tight container. Strawberries need air in the refrigerator.
  • Avoid areas of the refrigerator with powerful smells such as onions, garlic, and strong cheeses.
    Strawberries absorb smells, making them taste off.
  • When you’re ready-to-use, rinse them and eat.
  • Fresh organic strawberries are best eaten within a few days of picking.

Storing Fresh Organic Strawberries for extended periods of time.

Maybe you won’t be able to finish the quart of strawberries you bought or picked within a few days. Or maybe you want to have extra organic strawberries for the off season. Either way, freezing your organic strawberries gives you fresh strawberries year round and makes you have no waste.

Freezing strawberries helps maintain the fruit’s nutritional value compared to dehydrating and canning.

By doing the following, you’ll have fresh frozen strawberries all year round.

  • Choose the highest quality of berries. They should be ripe, yet firm, without mold or soft spots for the best long-term storage.
  • Gently rinse and dry each berry to remove any dirt.
  • Do not submerge strawberries in water. Rinse and set on a towel to air dry or pat dry.
    You don’t want your strawberries wet when freezing.
  • Remove stems and any green caps from each strawberry.
  • Preparing: Depending on the size and use of your strawberries will determine if you cut, slice, chop, or leave the strawberries whole.
Cut and whole strawberries on a parchment lined tray
  • Place the prepared organic strawberries in a single layer, not touching, onto a lined baking sheet.

    The lining keeps the strawberries from sticking to the baking sheet.

    You can use parchment paper, silicon lining or wax paper.

    Do not use aluminum foil or plastic.
  • Stick trays of strawberries into the freezer until frozen.
  • Depending on the size of your strawberries will determine freezing time.
    This process prevents strawberries from sticking together during freezing and creates less freezer burn.
  • Once completely frozen, transfer the strawberries to a freezer safe airtight or vacuum seal container. Freezer burn occurs more often from the air in a container.
  • Label each container with Organic Strawberries and the date, so you can eat the older ones first.
  • Place your containers of strawberries into your freezer. Ideally, you want them inside the freezer where it is colder and not in the door.

What to do with your frozen strawberries?

Anything you desire.

Throw frozen strawberries into smoothies, on top of ice cream or in your cereal. And of course you can just pop them into your mouth for a frozen strawberry treat.

You can make them into jam, sauces, or bake with them.

Frozen organic strawberries are the next best thing to freshly picked strawberries. 

While you still have time, get more freshly picked organic strawberries from one of our farmers’ markets, farm stand, or pick your own strawberry field.

Enjoy!