Deceptively Delicious Blueberry Oatmeal Bars (With Spinach). Courtesy of Jessica Seinfeld

These bars are AMAZING!!  My kids LOVE these and could eat them for every meal.  The best part is, they are packed with pureed spinach.  Is it bad that I find enjoyment in my kids indulging on a food that contains a vegetable that they all despise?  I'm not going to lie, I giggle to myself every time they take a bite.  If they only knew.....


Ingredients:

• nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (I use Wheat Flour)
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup balance trans-fat free margarine , chilled
• 1 cup no-sugar-added blueberry spread
• ½ cup spinach , puree (I always add a bit more spinach puree)

Directions:

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 375.
2. 2
   Coat an 8"X 8" baking pan with cooking spray.
3. 3
   In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir to mix well.
4. 4
   Add the margarine and cut it quickly into dry ingredients with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery. Do no overmix--bits of margarine will still be visible.
5. 5
   Set aside about half the oat mixture; press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked), 13 to 15 minutes.
6. 6
   Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.
7. 7
   Spread blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake until topping is slightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.
8. 8
   Spinach Puree:.
9. 9
   Steam baby spinach(for mature spinach-remove stems) for about 30-40 seconds or cook in skillet with 1 tablespoons water for about 90 seconds or just until wilted. Puree in food processor or blender for about 2 min until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy!