Jenn’s Jam Bars (Photo provided — Yvona Fast)

It’s March. We have an early spring. The snow was gone, until Sunday. The lakes are losing their ice. Fortunately, the first weekend in March had enough ice for the ice fishing derby.

March is maple season. Sap is flowing. This year, that too came early.

March is Lent. The last day of March this year is Easter Sunday.

March is National Nutrition Month.

March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day and we celebrate Irish American immigrants. The end of March brings Easter.

Oats combine well with maple. They’re packed with nutrition. And they’re a popular food in Ireland, Scotland, and all of the British Isles.

According to David Grotto, R.D., director of nutrition education at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care in Evanston, Illinois: “Oatmeal has the highest satiety ranking of any food. Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar.” Oats are a good source of both fiber and protein. They have many important vitamins and minerals.

Maple syrup is our local, natural sweetener. It is superior to sugar in nutrients, like potassium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron and magnesium. Zinc keeps your immune system strong. Potassium is important for the circulatory system. Calcium and manganese help maintain bone health. Researchers have documented that maple syrup is the most nutritious common sweetener. More than 54 beneficial compounds — antioxidants, polyphenols and other phytochemicals — naturally occur in syrup and aren’t found in other sweeteners. Our bodies absorb maple’s natural sugars more slowly than processed cane sugar — which gives it a lower glycemic index and makes it a better sweetener for those with diabetes.

What can you make with oats and maple? Oatmeal, of course. And oatmeal cookies. Oatmeal muffins. You can even make your own yummy granola bars, with less sugar and fat than the store-bought kind.

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Jenn’s Jam Bars

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

8 Tablespoons butter

1/4 to 1/3 cup maple syrup (you can also use 1/2 cup brown sugar)

1/2 to 1 cup jam of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil or butter 9-inch-by-9-inch pan.

In bowl, mix together the flours, salt and baking soda. Stir in oats.

Melt butter and stir in. Stir in maple syrup.

Pat 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread with jam.

Crumble the remaining dough on top.

Return to oven and bake 10 minutes more.

Cool slightly before serving.

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Oatmeal Maple Muffins

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Ingredients:

1 egg

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup apple cider

2 eggs

3 Tablespoons melted butter

1 1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 diced apple (no need to peel) or 1/3 cup raisins and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In bowl, beat together the eggs, syrup, cider and butter. Stir in the rolled oats.

In another bowl, combine the flours with baking powder and salt. Stir into the batter. Stir in raisins, spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 25 minutes for regular muffins, 15 minutes for mini muffins). *Note: Substitute raisins with chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, frozen blueberries, or a chopped apple (no need to peel). Experiment with other fruit as well.

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Flourless Maple Oatmeal Cookies

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Ingredients:

3 cups oats

1 cup slivered almonds

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

1 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

Optional additions:

1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup currants OR 3/4 cup raisins OR craisins OR 1 chopped apple OR 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place 1 cup oats and 1 cup slivered almonds in the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse 30 seconds; check for consistency — it should be a powder. If needed, pulse a little longer in 10 second bursts. Place in large bowl and stir in baking powder, salt and remaining 2 cups oats.

Melt butter over low heat.

In another bowl, beat eggs. Add maple syrup and flaxseed meal. Add to dry ingredients alternately with melted butter; stir to combine. Stir in optional ingredients.

Use a spoon to place on cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until brown on the edges.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook “Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market,” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: Writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter: @yvonawrites.