Food Fridays with Leah Kirchmann | Fruit and nut energy bars

0
71

Leah Kirchmann’s fruit and nut energy bars:

Oats are a staple food in many endurance athlete’s diets. They are a common choice for breakfast, but also make for a useful base ingredient when preparing homemade snacks to fuel your training. I like this recipe for homemade fruit and nut energy bars, made with a combination of oats, dried fruits and nuts. These bars are perfect for when you have a long adventure planned and need some fuel to last all day. Brown rice syrup is a slightly less common ingredient, but can be found at many health food stores and helps homemade bars stick together. Feel free to customise this recipe with your favourite dried fruit, nuts and seeds!

Ingredients:

2 cups (180g) rolled oats
1/2 cup (80g) almonds, chopped
1/2 cup (75g) cashews, chopped
1/4 cup (35g) pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup (30g) dried cranberries
1/4 cup (30g) raisins
2 Tbsp (18g) sesame seeds
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
2 Tbsp (43g) honey
3 Tbsp (30g) brown rice syrup
1/4 cup (52g) coconut oil
2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract
1/4 tsp (2g) salt

Instructions:

  • Pour 1 cup oats in a food processor or blender, blend until finely ground into flour.
  • Mix the ground oats and remaining whole oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried fruit in a large bowl. Line a large 9×9 baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper.
  • Stir the brown sugar, honey, brown rice syrup, and coconut oil in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir well, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and salt then immediately pour over the dry ingredients.
  • Mix well, so that all the dry ingredients are coated, then scoop the mixture into the prepared dish. Spread the mixture out and then use another sheet of wax or parchment paper to firmly press down until flat. Refrigerate for 2 hours, then cut into 12 squares. Wrap the bars to enjoy on your next adventure! These bars will stay good for a few weeks at room temperature or in the fridge.

Source