Blueberry Bars

We love these around here!  The recipe is from Deceptively Delicious.

You'll need:
 2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup margarine (I use the stick)
3/4 cup low-sugar blueberry preserves
1/2 cup spinach puree (I buy frozen chopped spinach, cook it in the micro according to directions on the package, then just puree it in my blender or food processor.  Quick and easy.  One frozen chopped spinach will give you enough for another batch, so baggie it and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions.

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Coat an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, and stir to mix well.
3.  Add the margarine into the dry ingredients.  (I soften it a bit, only a bit in the micro first.  Don't melt)  Mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery.  Do not over mix - bits of margarine will still be visible.
4.  Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest of it firmly into the pan.  Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked), 15 minutes.
5.  Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.
6. Spread the blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with the reserved oat mixture.  Bake until the topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.  Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars. 

Crunch and sweet without a taste of spinach that's hidden.  Let the bars cool completely before serving.  These freeze well wrapped individually in plastic wrap.