Berry Honey Bars

I stopped in at Jamba Juice the other day to get my favorite smoothie, the all fruit Pomegranate Paradise. As I was waiting for my smoothie I was looking over the baked goods and saw a bar that looked so delicious I couldn't stop thinking about it (only true food lovers will understand this). So after stewing over it for 2 days I came up with this recipe, all I had on hand was blueberries and blackberry jam but you can use any kind of berries and any kind of jam. The Jamba Juice version has cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries, sounds like a great combination, I will try it next time.

Here is my version; gluten, grain and dairy free.

Blueberry Honey Bars

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/4 c. almond flour
dash cinnamon
3 T. shortening or butter
1 tsp. honey

Filling

1-10 oz jar 100% fruit jelly or jam
scant 1 c. assorted fresh or frozen berries

Topping

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup of blanched almond flour
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine crust ingredients and mix thoroughly, press into an oiled 8"x8" baking dish.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust barely begins to brown. Remove from oven and raise temperature to 350 degrees.
4. Place jam or jelly into a microwave safe dish. Heat 1 minute.
5. Stir fruit into jam or jelly and pour over warm crust. Spread to evenly distribute. Set aside.
6. Combine topping ingredients with your fingers until mixed but still lumpy. Crumble over fruit mixture.
7. Bake for 12-18 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool. Either refrigerate or freeze for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. I like these bars right out of the freezer.