Claire Strickett
Who says students have to live on pot noodles and beans on toast? Not us! Each week our Lifestyle Editor shares a recipe that will keep your finances and your body in good shape.
As a low-GI food, oats are a great basis for a snack. Unfortunately, most shop-bought flapjacks and cereal bars include not just those healthy oats, but lashings of simple sugars and a surprising amount of saturated fat. By contrast, these oat bars are packed full of good fats — and plenty of fruit, too. Pop one in your bag for when those library munchies strike…
Ingredients (makes 10-12 bars)
450ml milk (or non-dairy alternative)
250g porridge oats
4 tbsp honey
3 tbsp raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 large, ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp roughly chopped nuts
2 tbsp linseeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp peanut butter, other nut butter, or tahini
1 apple, roughly grated (no need to peel it first)
And how to do it…
Preheat your oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray (roughly 20cm square) with baking paper.
In one bowl, sift together the oats, cinnamon, salt, seeds, nuts and raisins.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, mashed banana, grated apple, vanilla, nut butter/tahini and honey until thoroughly blended.
Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry, and stir until completely combined.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking tray, press down evenly, and bake for 20 minutes until golden around the edges and dry in the centre.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out and cutting into bars.
Store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze if you want to keep them for any longer than that.
