Fudgy Oat & Walnut Bars

(Recipe courtesy of Jen Fisher)

Ingredients Oat Base

1 cup (minus 2 tbsp for fudge) margarine or butter, softened 2 cups brown sugar 2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour O cup whole wheat flour

3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

Fudge Layer

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tbsp margarine or butter, softened (from oat layer) 2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Line a 15"x 10"x 2" baking pan with parchment paper.

For the oat base

3. Cream together margarine and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each. Add vanilla and combine. 4. In a separate bowl, combine flours, oats and baking soda. 5. Gradually beat the oat mixture into the creamed mixture.

It will be very stiff.

For the fudge layer

6. In a medium saucepan, on low heat, melt together the chocolate chips, margarine and condensed milk.

Stir occasionally.

7. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and walnuts.

Combine the bars

8. Set aside a heaping cup of the oat mixture.

9. Press the remaining oat mixture evenly into the prepared pan; use a clean, damp hand to help push the dough to the edges.

10. Spread all of the fudge evenly on top of the oats. 11. With the remaining oat mixture, using your hands, create rough dough balls and place on top of the fudge.

12. Bake for 25–30 minutes until top is lightly browned. 13. Cool for at least 12 hours before cutting.

Kim Doerksen is Canadian Running’s food writer, an elite runner and coach with Mile2Marathon in Vancouver.