These squares are dressed up with a sweet and tangy apple cider sauce and a dollop of low-fat ice cream; they also make a satisfying simple dessert or snack on their own. (Adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Handbook by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley; Chronicle Books, 2003.)

Makes 8 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup apple-juice concentrate, thawed
3 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Apple Cider Sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream or nonfat frozen yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk oats, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Work in the oil and apple-juice concentrate with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Press 2 cups of the oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange apple slices over the crust in three overlapping rows. Mix the walnuts into the remaining oat mixture. Sprinkle over the apples and pat into an even layer.
4. Bake until the top is golden and the apples are tender when pierced, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, make Apple Cider Sauce.
6. To serve, cut into 8 pieces and place on dessert plates. Top with ice cream (or frozen yogurt) and drizzle with cider sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 403 calories; 11 g total fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 71 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 6 g fiber; 206 mg sodium; 221 mg potassium.
4 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 2 fat

MAKE AHEAD TIP: The squares are best served the day they are made.

RELATED RECIPES: Apple Cider Sauce

There is a link to the sauce at the bottom of the recipe.

Anonymous, Austin, TX

Dear EatingWell: It would be nice if you included the whole recipe with the site...like where is the sauce your suggesting to use...Thanks, MaryAnn It sound really wonderful and can't wait to try and bake it...nice for fall....Thanks...love the new site...

Anonymous, Irvine, CA

Missing apple cider sauce part of recipe.

Anonymous, Lakeville, MN