This breakfast bar recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and enough seeds to make you start sprouting.
I’ve used no sugar, but before you start thinking this is virtuously sugar-free (which I could claim it to be), remember that the sweetness that comes from the dates is, in essence, sugar, though certainly it’s unprocessed and full of fibre at the same time.
Make these bars at the weekend, and you’ll be set up for the week if you’re someone who needs to grab-and-go in the morning.
Top Tip:
You can use sunflower seeds in place of flaxseeds, or half and half rather than all flaxseeds, and you can also use puffed rice (gluten-free if needed) or buckwheat flakes in place of cornflakes. In theory, cornflakes (and oats) should be gluten-free, but if crucial, make sure it’s stipulated on the packet.
If you can’t get hold of medjool dates, then use 350g pitted dried dates and up the water to 400ml. And they’ll take about 10, rather than 5, minutes to cook until they’re soft enough to mash to a purée.
SERVES: 8
Ingredients:
- 250g medjool dates
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 75g goji berries
- 75g pumpkin seeds
- 150g brown flaxseeds
- 50g cocoa nibs
- 25g chia seeds
- 25g cornflakes (gluten-free if required)
- 100g organic porridge oats
- (not instant), gluten-free if required)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C and line the bottom and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment.
Pit the dates and tear them with your fingers into a small saucepan, add the cinnamon, cover with 325ml cold water, bring to the boil and let bubble for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and beat with a fork until you have a rough purée.
Put all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl, add the date mixture and mix until everything is combined. I wear a pair of disposable vinyl gloves for this.
Squidge into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until firm and set, and golden on top and darker around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into pieces.
