Rhubarb Crumble Oat Bar

This is one for transporting the comfort of rhubarb crumble, without gooping up the inside of your transportation device, be it handbag, rucksack or humble pocket. I plan to make some adjustments with the change of season to make it a more storecupboard, chewy-bits muesli bar, but in the meantime, I can't say I'm too disappointed with eating a firm rhubarb crumble bar.

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees.

Stew your fruit for 5 minutes:

• 450g rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces
• 400g strawberries, halved (this is a great way of using up ones that are too ripe to enjoy on their own)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water

Drain the fruit from the juices (reserving the latter to use as cordial in some delicious impromptu cocktail). Set aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts were very tasty)
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup flour (spelt worked well)

Then mix in the wet:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I like an olivey flavours, but use rapeseed if you don't)
• 1/4 cup honey
• few drops of vanilla essence

Compact half of this crumby mixture into the bottom of an oblong pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Add a good layer of stewed fruit, then sprinkle remaining mixture evenly over the top. Once distributed fairly, press down a little with the back of a spoon, then bake for a further 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

Have a little patience, and allow the crumble to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Turn it out and cut into bar- shapes. I found a pizza cutter did the trick perfectly. Good eating!