The recipe I chose to make was Lyle's Golden Syrup Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bars. This recipe is particularly appealing because I have lots of left over dried fruit and nuts from Christmas, making this a great way to use them up. With a few tweaks of the recipe (such as using vegan margarine instead of butter) I was able to create a vegan version of the bars, packed with oats, cranberries, dates, almonds, Brazil nuts, linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds.
The Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bars are compact, nutrient dense and energy giving. They are great for when on the go and can be enjoyed with a glass of juice or milk or a pot of yogurt. They would also be perfect for lunchboxes. (Click on the image below to open it to full size for recipe.)
The recipe is pretty easy to make and can be adapted to suit what you have in the cupboard. It is a lovely way to use up nuts and seeds and dried fruits, and if stored in an airtight container will last up to 2 weeks.
The bars are colourful with a lovely, flapjacky texture and a sweet, fruity, nutty and rich flavour. Although not low in calories, they are nutrient dense and rich in fibre.
