Pumpkin oatmeal breakfast squares with cranberries

Now that it's October, it's officially pumpkin spice season. If you're like me and you have either a full or partial can of pureed pumpkin on hand, you cannot help but bake with it!

Pumpkin is a great source of beta-carotene and potassium and also contains some vitamin C. Oatmeal and pumpkin pie spice flavor the bars nicely.With the temps cooling down, I thought I'd try warm up the house with a new recipe. I'd never made breakfast bars, but they tend to have longer shelf life than cookies and are a bit less sweet

I used quite a bit of rolled oats in these, which reduced the amount of flour in the recipe and provides a hearty, chewy texture. I added chopped pecans, but walnuts or almonds would work well, too. If you don't have any cranberries, try raisins or dried cherries. Either would go well.

These bars are great for a grab and go breakfast, mid afternoon snack or after dinner not so sweet, treat.

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg1 cup pureed pumpkin

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with non-stick spray.

3. Combine butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg.

4. Add the pumpkin and vanilla, then blend in the baking soda, pie spice, flour, rolled oats, cranberries and chopped nuts.

5. Press the pumpkin mixture in the 8 x 8 pan evenly to the edges of the pan.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 16 squares