Snack Bars
How often do you need a snack to tide you over between meals? Do you always throw a snack in your bag or car before you go out? Are you the one who always wants something to snack on mid morning or mid afternoon, or even late at night? Maybe you are an emotional eater? Do you open the cupboard and see what you can munch just for fun? Well, this week I decided I needed some new snacks and I managed to get in the kitchen and do some creating!
The snack bar recipe
Snacks need to be filling and give us an energy boost, so the base of this bar is oats. Oats give us a slow release of energy and are great for keeping us feeling full for longer. The other main ingredient in these bars is bananas. Bananas are rich in natural sugars, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, which also provide a quick and easily digestible source of energy providing an additional natural energy boost.
I’ve added peanut butter for extra protein, but any nut or seed butter would work and the taste is negligible due to the small quantity so no worrying about the overpowering taste. The other ingredients in very small quantities are butter, maple syrup, spices and a sprinkle of chocolate. Of course, you can add extras if you wish such as coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, raisins or other dried fruits. Let’s check out the recipe!
Oat & banana based snack bars easily customisable (& topped with chocolate)!
- 200 g banana (approximately 2 medium bananas)
- 50 g peanut butter (or sub other nut/seed butter)
- 10 g butter
- 15 ml maple syrup (approximately 1 tablespoon) (or sub other liquid sweetener)
- pinch of mixed spice (small pinch)
- pinch of cinnamon (small pinch)
- 150 g oats (rolled or porridge)
- 2-4 squares chocolate
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Put the bananas in a large bowl and mash with the back of a fork until you have a smooth puree. Add the peanut butter, butter and maple syrup and mix well to combine (unless they are really cold, the action of mixing should be enough to melt them and allow them to mix).
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Sprinkle the mixed spice and cinnamon in, then add the oats and mix well to combine. Taste test if you wish and add more spice or a bit of extra sweetener if desired. (If adding in any extras such as raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, add them at this stage).
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Tip into a lined, greased or silicon tin and flatten out with the back of your spoon until the mix is equally distributed.
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Using a fine grater, grate your chocolate directly over the tin, aiming to cover as much as the mix as possible.
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Bake at Gas Mark 4 (350f / 180c) for 30 minutes. The bars should be slightly pulling away from the edge of the tin. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, before turning out to cool on a wire rack.
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Slice into bars. Enjoy!
Alternatives
Here are a few other snack ideas for you. Firstly, the very popular energy balls which of course can be made in many different flavours. Or if you like sesame, this tahini flapjack is a great snack to make. If you are a fruit person, these fruit snacks are not only fun to make, but also delicious. However, if you prefer savoury snacks, try these cheese straws or make something with puff pastry.
What do I need?
Here are a few items you may find useful for this recipe. I may receive a small commission if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)!
Storage
These will store for several days covered on the worktop, or in an airtight container. You could also freeze the individual bars, them get them out as needed (they will defrost in under an hour). Remember to wrap individually, label and date before freezing.
Sharing
Are we sharing snack bars or keeping them all to ourselves? I’ll let you be the judge, but if I’m sharing, I’m making a double batch! Are you making the recipe as it is, or are you adding your own extras in?
As always, I love hearing about any recipes of mine you try, any ideas you adapt or suggestions you have for future recipes. Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
