Summer is hot in Malta, and it’s easy to wake up drained from the daytime’s heat, so during the forthcoming months, I like to know that I can just trail downstairs to the kitchen table, pull out a homemade juicy breakfast bar, pour a glass of freezing cold fresh cashew or almond milk, sit down and contemplate the day ahead, without any stress or pressure. These bars are energy boosters and packed with flavour and lots of fibre as well as vitamins, the mouthfeel is simply amazing. Feel free to experiment with your favourite ingredients – these bars are so very convenient and dare I say it, ‘child friendly’ and ever so more-ish ! Making them a great snack for any time of the day, as well as breakfast treat, picnic snack, beach, after gym snack you name it !
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups mixed nuts – I used brazils, raw almonds, pistachios
1 cup of gluten free oats
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds
3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
the juice of an orange
the zest of an orange|
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp grated dark chocolate
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2 cups hot water (for porridge, plus extra)
a pinch of salt
2 Tbsp psyllium husks
METHOD
Place the oats in a saucepan with the water, stir and heat. Continue to mix until the mixture thickens nicely – it must be gooey and thick, but not a ball ! Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, place your nuts, seeds and remaining ingredients, except for any liquids, the fruits and the chocolate, in your food processor. Process until they break down – for about a minute or less – add in the fruit, blitz for a few seconds, add the banana mix, and then sweeten a little with your maple syrup (always taste to check).
Now in a very large bowl stir in the two mixtures together (don’t worry if you’ve added one ingredient before the other, the point is that you have got the lot in and are incorporating them together in one large bowl) – mix these well and then spoon the mixture into a large oven dish (I used a tray measuring around 12” x 12”, 1” deep), lined with greaseproof paper, and distribute as evenly as possible. Then be sure to score them first before putting them in tie oven. I sometimes add a little bit of coconut sugar on the top before baking to achieve that slight caramelised flavour for a breakfast super treat !
Bake in the oven on 375°F /190°C for under an hour, and keep your eyes on them lest they burn – in the event that they cook before, bring them out and let them cool down for 15 minutes before you GENTLY turn them around and bake on their other side for a further 15 minutes !
After the bars cool down on a wire rack, cut individually and place in an airtight container, refrigerate and you’re good for the following week.
Enjoy !
Tip/Note : Be sure to grease whatever dish you will use, otherwise they’ll get stuck.
All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
These look really delicious an so healthy! But is there something that I could use instead of the bananas? I can’t eat them.
Thanks these looks fantastic and I’ll give them a go. Do you have any tips for removing some or all of the nuts? Maybe more oats?
Hi Jan, you can try applesauce instead, not sure of the outcome, but may well work well with it ! If so, let me know !
Hi Clare, remove half the nuts and add more seeds instead, that should work ! Let me know how it goes !
What can I use instead of oats pls?
Hi Romina, You can use puffed rice, just process it for a few seconds if so, so that it breaks down – health food stores and some supermarkets sell it. Should work ! Enjoy !