You win some you lose some

Part of the adventure of cooking is trying new recipes.  Sometimes the results are wonderful and you have something new to add to your repertoire.  Other times...well other times things don't go so well.

I don't usually go in for the organic/gluten free/vegan/sugar free etc....... stuff.  Don't get me wrong, if that's your thing that's awesome..but it's not my thing.  So when I found this recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly bars I wasn't really inspired.  But through a strange confluence of events I found myself in possession of ALL of the ingredients for this recipe...including the organic peanut butter and jelly.  I figured that it was fate and I decided to give the organic/vegan/whole grain/etc. thing a chance. 

I got this recipe from Her Honest Life and I'm sure that I screwed something up, because her PB&J bars looked yummy. 

I started by grinding up the dry ingredients for the crust.....It became instantly clear that something was not right.  The dough wasn't forming the promised ball.  I added more oil...still nothing.  More dates...no dice.  Finally I threw veganism to the wind and added an egg.  That did the trick and the whole thing came togther into a lovely, nutty, oatey mass. 

I rolled it all out and spread the PB and J on their respective dough halves...I even managed to flip the peanut butter one on top of the jelly one with little trouble. 

I baked them according to the instructions and when they came out of the oven I was hopeful.  Sadly, they were way too dry.  I just don't know where I went wrong....the concept seemed so good.

Alas I have to say that Organic/vegan/whole wheat/no sugar Peanut Butter and Jelly bars will not be added to my everyday baking repertoire.  I did find a different recipe from Ina Garten containing lots of butter and sugar that I'm going to try.  I just don't think I'm cut out for veganism.