Homemade cereal bars

This recipe is loosely based on a similar bar on the website www.mynewroots.com. I tend to look at all sorts of recipe books, websites, restaurant menus, etc etc in order to get inspiration. What then happens is an idea lodges itself in my brain and hey presto some days or weeks later, I’ve got a Sun Temple version. I had been actively thinking about this sort of thing for Mark. Both he and I work out most days of the week, and he gets hungry mid morning and reaches for what’s easy, which tends to be something not that great for his temple. So, this is not a low calorie or low GI thing. It is meant to boost the energy levels which it will do by raising the blood sugar. The good thing is that its full of the goodness of nuts, seeds, coconut and with the tempering effect of oats, the protein of hemp, and there is no added sugar or sweetener. Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid. They are also an excellent source of fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons), and contain protein and minerals including as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. So, eat with impunity, just go easy. Its not meant to fill you up.

Makes enough homemade cereal bars

for Mark for more than 2 weeks of snacks

180g (1 c) dried apricots

150g (1 c) pitted dates

80g (1/2 c) almonds

65g (1/2 c) pecans (or walnuts)

35g (1/4 c) sesame seeds

90g (1 c) freshly grated coconut (use 1/2 c if using desiccated)

3 small ripe bananas

60ml (1/4 c) virgin coconut oil

1 tsp grated cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

70g (1/2 c) shelled hemp

2 tbsp chia seeds

6 tbsp water

Begin by soaking the chia seeds in a small bowl with the water. Set aside. Blitz together in the food processor, the nuts, apricots, dates and coconut. When you have achieved quite a uniform blend, add in the remaining ingredients, not forgetting the soaking chia seeds and blitz only enough to incorporate everything.

I then squashed the dough into a reasonably flat shape on a teflon sheet in my baking tray. The sheet was a really good thing here as it made achieving perfect squares so much easier after the cooking.

I lifted out the whole thing on the sheet and turned it out on the counter. If you do not use a teflon sheet or alternative, I’m sure cutting them into squares in the more traditional manner would work just fine as they aren’t belligerent.

Cut them into your required size while it is still hot and then leave to cool completely on a wire rack. I put what I thought was enough for 3 or 4 days worth into plastic storage bags with zips and froze the lot. My plan is that Mark will take his little baggy to work and munch these little homemade cereal bars as and when straight out of the fridge.

Don’t think I didn’t munch a fair few myself before efficiently parcelling them up for boss man. They are truly scrummy.