These gooey breakfast bars are perfect for the mornings when time just slips away from you or you fancy something light! Packed with banana, oats, dates and lots of seeds, they will set you up for the day and give you a good burst of fibre for a slow release of energy to keep you going throughout the morning. They can be made at the start of the week and kept in the fridge ready for a light breakfast or snack - perfect if you are homeschooling or working from home and looking for easy, tasty recipes to keep everyone happy. I haven't used any nuts or nut butter in this recipe so they are suitable for nut allergies and a great way to use up those not so fresh bananas. The best part is they only take a few minutes to throw together and don't need to be cooked!
INGREDIENTS
150g (1 cup) medjool dates 1 tsp cinnamon
1 very ripe banana Pinch of sea salt
200g (2 cups) rolled oats 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
80g (3/4 cup) pumkin seeds 1 tsp chia seeds
40 g (1/2 cup) dessicated coconut 1 tsp vanilla extract
40g (1/4 cup) dried cranberries or sultanas
DIRECTIONS
MAKES: APPROX 12 BARS TIME: 10 MINUTES + 30 MINS CHILLING
Start by pitting the dates and blending them with the banana in a food processor until the dates are broken down into small pieces and well combined with the banana.
Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix really well (using your hands is best) until the mixture is nice and sticky.
Spread the mix into a rectangular tin measuring roughly 7x9in (you may need to line with some non-toxic parchment paper depending on your tray) and press down firmly using your hands or the back of a spoon.
I find it works best to cut into portions before chilling (they can be a bit more crumbly if you try to cut once they are removed from the freezer). Using a knife cut through the mixture to create roughly 12 bars or more if you want smaller bars. Place in the freezer for about 30 mins until firm and then keep in the fridge.
