Oat bars with nuts and dried fruits
Oat bars with nuts and dried fruits can be a great snack on the go, at work, after a workout, etc., as they are very filling, nutritious, and delicious. These bars can be enjoyed by children too, provided they do not have any allergies to the ingredients mentioned in the recipe. However, if desired, some ingredients can be substituted, added, or omitted – it will still turn out tasty and nutritious.
Information
Ingredients
- Oat flakes1 cup (250ml)
- Nuts100 g
- Date150 g
- Honey2 tablespoon
- Raisins50 g
- Dried cranberries50 g
- Seeds1 tablespoon
- Sesame1 tablespoon
- Vegetable oil1 teaspoon
- Apple juice50 ml
Directions
Pour 100 ml of hot boiled water (not boiling water) over the dates (dark or light) and leave them for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop the mixture of nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, etc.) roughly with a knife.
Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes.
Soak dried cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes.
Spread long-cooking oatmeal flakes evenly on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 170 degrees for 10 minutes. The flakes should slightly golden during this time.
Remove the pit from the dates and transfer the pulp to a blender along with the water they soaked in. Add honey and blend into a paste. Rinse and dry the swollen raisins and cranberries.
Mix the baked oatmeal flakes with chopped nuts, raisins, cranberries, seeds, and sesame seeds.
Transfer the date mixture to a saucepan or thick-bottomed pot, add apple juice, bring to a boil, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
Add the slightly cooled mass to the oat-nut mixture and mix well. The resulting dough will be sticky and viscous, so it is better to mix it with a spoon, as it tends to stick to your hands.
Line a large baking sheet or glass dish (square or rectangular) with parchment paper greased with odorless vegetable oil. Spread the sticky mixture evenly on the parchment paper to the desired thickness, for example, 1 cm, and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Place it in the oven for 30 minutes at the same temperature - 170 degrees.
After 30 minutes of baking the oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts, turn off the oven and leave the baking sheet with the golden mass in it for 10 minutes. Then remove the mass and cut it into rectangles, squares, or triangles while still hot. I recommend cutting it into rectangles as they are more convenient for storage, transportation, and consumption. Allow the bars to cool completely before packaging - wrap them in paper, plastic wrap, foil, etc.
Store the oat bars with nuts and dried fruits at room temperature for up to two weeks.
