TRAIL BARS - with oats, nuts & seeds
INGREDIENTS
Rolled oats 200g - 2 cups and 1/4
Pecans 1/2 cup
Cashews 1/2 cup
Flaked coconut 1/2 (I used desiccated!)
Sunflower seeds 3 tbs
Sesame seeds 3 tbs
Flax seeds 2 tbs
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
Honey 120ml
Peanut butter 60g
Mix everything except the honey and peanut butter in a bowl - sometimes I will melt this mixture in a space pan on the hob especially in the winter when the ingredients are cooler
Bake the above mixture for 10 mins in 160 fan oven
Combine the honey, peanut butter and tahini in a bowel
Mix the roasted nuts and seed mix into the honey and nut butter whilst they are still hot
Spread into a non stick tin lined with a strip of grease proof paper - it doesn’t need to be completely covered you just need enough to gently ease it out the tin. Push the mixture down gently so it is lightly packed into the tin.
Leave to cool and set before slicing into 12 bars.
NOTES
The oven mixture should have a light golden colour.
Don’t cut them until they have cooled.
Refrigerating for a while before slicing makes them easier to cut, or you can freeze them for a couple of hours to make it easier to cut.
Don’t over bake as they lose their chewiness and dry out.
Don’t mess with the ratios too much as it may ruin the texture ie more seeds makes them too crumbly and messy.
The texture may vary depending on how oily your nut butter is, so you may need to test and vary it according to the brand of product you use. I normally use Whole Earth peanut butter.
You can drizzle melted dark chocolate on the top for an extra treat – but I have never felt the need as they are already yummy, plus I often eat them for breakfast on the go.
Change the seeds, nuts and nut butters to suit your tastes.
If you prefer a less sweet taste you can use brown rice syrup instead.
If you prefer you can leave out the tahini and replace it with more nut butter.
You can incorporation seed rotation to help your hormones (see Seed Cycling).
If your digestion is weak and/or you are not used to seeds, then don’t roast them. Instead blitz them in a blender and add at the same time as your nut butter and honey.
They last at least a week in an airtight container.
This tin from john lewis is the perfect size for half the mixture making 6 bars. Its 13x19cm.
You can use brown rice syrup instead of honey which is less sweet and gives them a chewier texture.
In the summer if I use coconut oil in the mix I keep them in the fridge as the oil liquifies in the heat. This version will travel less well in hot weather.
Should you have a failed attempt – in that they do not stick together well - you can always use it as granola!
