Something fruity, something chewy
Hands up who loves granola. (Me!) What about granola bars? My personal favourites are the Nature Valley ones - lots of syrup and oats and crunch!
However, I've recently discovered a beautiful square from Sainsbury's Bakery. A cross between a flapjack and a granola bar, it's filled with plump cranberries, raisins and crispy sunflower seeds, along with chewy oats.
Last weekend I had some time on my hands; and, feeling healthy, decided to create my own version. The good thing about this bar is that there are no artificial sugars - all the sweetness comes from the fruit and honey. You could add any fruits you want - I chose dried apricots, sultanas and cranberries - and ditto for the seeds or nuts. Mix it up; fiddle with the recipe; enjoy your time in the kitchen! Think about what really brought you to baking/cooking in the first place; relax and let your experimental side flow through.
Fruity Granola Bars
200g oats
100g dried sweetened cranberries
100g sultanas
100g dried apricots, chopped
100ml honey
125g butter
1/2 banana
75g self-raising flour
125g mixed seeds or nuts (I used linseeds, poppy seeds and almonds)
a little orange juice or orange extract
Pinch grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cinnamon
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven). Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the honey and butter over a low heat until combined. Mix the dried fruits, oats, seeds and spices together. Mash the banana and add to the mixture.
3. Pour the melted honey-butter mixture over the dry ingredients, and add the orange juice and flour. Mix until well combined; it should come together nicely.
4. Press the mixture down firmly into the tin, making sure there are no gaps. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave to cool before cutting.
However, I've recently discovered a beautiful square from Sainsbury's Bakery. A cross between a flapjack and a granola bar, it's filled with plump cranberries, raisins and crispy sunflower seeds, along with chewy oats.
Last weekend I had some time on my hands; and, feeling healthy, decided to create my own version. The good thing about this bar is that there are no artificial sugars - all the sweetness comes from the fruit and honey. You could add any fruits you want - I chose dried apricots, sultanas and cranberries - and ditto for the seeds or nuts. Mix it up; fiddle with the recipe; enjoy your time in the kitchen! Think about what really brought you to baking/cooking in the first place; relax and let your experimental side flow through.
Start by melting the butter and honey together .
Mix the dry ingredients.
Add a mashed banana.
Here comes the honey!
Press into the tin and place in the oven.
After cooling, cut into squares and enjoy! (Make sure they are nearly cool before cutting, otherwise they will break up and you'll have tiny pieces instead of bars.)
Fruity Granola Bars
200g oats
100g dried sweetened cranberries
100g sultanas
100g dried apricots, chopped
100ml honey
125g butter
1/2 banana
75g self-raising flour
125g mixed seeds or nuts (I used linseeds, poppy seeds and almonds)
a little orange juice or orange extract
Pinch grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cinnamon
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven). Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the honey and butter over a low heat until combined. Mix the dried fruits, oats, seeds and spices together. Mash the banana and add to the mixture.
3. Pour the melted honey-butter mixture over the dry ingredients, and add the orange juice and flour. Mix until well combined; it should come together nicely.
4. Press the mixture down firmly into the tin, making sure there are no gaps. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave to cool before cutting.
My mum makes something similar, she turned her back for a minute and my boyfriend had snaffled at least 4 pieces, she uses dried apricots and sunflower seeds with her cranberries, I'll tell her about using banana xxx
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