Raspberry Almond Oat Bars

cooking spray 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour 2⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons vanilla ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces ¼ cup chopped almonds 1 jar (10 ounces) raspberry preserves (about 1 cup)

Nutritional information per bar: Calories 199 (32% from fat) • carb. 32g • pro. 2g • fat 7g • sat. fat 4g • chol. 16mg • sod. 60mg • calc. 18mg • fiber 1g

Place the rack in position B and preheat the toaster oven to 325ºF on bake setting. Lightly spray a 7 x 11-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and stir to blend. Add vanilla and butter, and using a pastry blender or two forks, cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture is evenly moist and crumbly. Remove ½ cup of the mixture. Stir chopped nuts into one of the half cups of the crumb mixture and reserve for topping. Press the oatmeal mixture without the nuts evenly into the prepared baking pan. Spread the raspberry preserves over the top. Sprinkle with the reserved oat/nut mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool completely in the baking pan set on a wire rack. Cut into bars.