Oat, Fruit and Nut Flapjacks

Name: Oat, Fruit and Nut Flapjacks
Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats, not processed fine oats; 1 cups cashew nuts*, chopped. You can use other nuts and/or unsalted pumpkin/melon seeds instead; 1/2 cup sunflower seeds *; 1/4 cup chopped or sliced almonds*; 1 cup desiccated coconut; 1 cup mixed fruit-the kind that is used in a fruit cake (or make a mix of raisins, dry prunes and apricots, dates, glacé cherries, candied ginger, cherries etc.); 1/4 cup white sesame seeds; 1/4 cup (3-4tbsp.) vegetable oil; 1/2 cup or 112 gm. unsalted butter; 1/2 cup honey; 1/2 cup light brown sugar; A large pinch of salt; 2 tsp. vanilla extract (if using vanilla essence, use only 5-6 drops); *You can replace all of these with just one type of seeds or nuts, whatever you have and like. A mix always tastes nicer, but it is not a must.

Oat, Fruit and Nut Bars

Mamta Gupta

EasySnackSweetVeganVegetarian

Fruit bars are a popular high energy snack that people often pack in their lunch/picnic boxes. They are really easy to make and work out much cheaper when you make them at home and you know exactly what is in them. They will last for 4-6 weeks in a fridge or 2-3 weeks at room temperature, if they dont get eaten by then! Makes approximately 25-28. Also see Apricot and Raisin Flapjacks (bars) and Date Squares

(Bars).

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats, not processed fine oats
1 cups cashew nuts*, chopped. You can use other nuts and/or unsalted pumpkin/melon seeds instead
1/2 cup sunflower seeds *
1/4 cup chopped or sliced almonds*
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed fruit-the kind that is used in a fruit cake (or make a mix of raisins, dry prunes and apricots, dates, glacé cherries, candied ginger, cherries etc.)
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1/4 cup (3-4tbsp.) vegetable oil
1/2 cup or 112 gm. unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
A large pinch of salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract (if using vanilla essence, use only 5-6 drops)
*You can replace all of these with just one type of seeds or nuts, whatever you have and like. A mix always tastes nicer, but it is not a must.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F/180C degrees.
Line a Swiss roll tray with aluminium foil. Leave a little extra hanging on two side, it makes lifting the whole thing out easier later. Smear it with a very thin layer of oil.
Place oats, cashew nuts, seeds, almonds, coconut, dried fruit and honey in a large bowl and mix well. No lumps should remain.
Place oil, butter, honey, sugar and salt in a pan and heat slowly, stirring to mix everything well. Now bring it to a brisk boil, and then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat off. Stir in vanilla extract.
Now pour this over the oat and nut mixture in the bowl and mix well using a flat spatula.
Turn it out onto the lined tray prepared earlier, spread and then press into an even layer.
Bake for 25 minutes or so, until it sets and looks golden brown.
Take it out and allow to cool fully, 3-4 hours.
Lift the whole thing out with the help of the overhanging aluminium foil on both sides and place it on a chopping board.
Cut into bars using a large, sharp knife. It is difficult to cut it evenly and without breaking with a small knife.
Store in an airtight container lined with wax paper, in layers if required.

Notes

I have been experimenting with fruit bars for a while now and these ones are pretty good. My next trail will be with 'sugar free', replacing at least 50% honey with it.