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Healthy No Bake Granola Bars

9th April 2020 by Louise
Healthy Granola Bars

These granola bars are incredibly easy to make, you literally just need to toast the nuts and seeds, this is optional and then merely blend and refrigerate.  The hardest thing is not to cut into them before they’ve had a chance to set in the fridge.

Perfect for snacks, morning or afternoon.  And of course they can be vegan, gluten and refined sugar free.  I find that it’s often the simplest of ingredients, given the proper care and attention that become the tastiest.

 

Print Recipe

Healthy No Bake Granola Bars

Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Fika/Snack
Servings: 12 bars

Equipment

  • 20cm square dish or baking tin

Ingredients

  • 180 g dates
  • 150 g rolled or jumbo oats use GF oats if your coeliac
  • 130 g whole almonds or cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts
  • 30 g desiccated coconut
  • 30 g chia seeds
  • 80 g nut butter
  • 90 g honey use maple syrup if you're vegan
  • 75 g dried fruit I used blueberries, soaked for 10-15 mins in boiling water

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan. Place the almonds and oats on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins. Do the same on a separate tray with the coconut and chia seeds, they take a mere 2-3 minutes so don’t take your eye off them. Cool, roughly chop the almonds. If your dates seem a little dry, soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes, drain. Blitz until you have a fairly smooth paste. Place into a bowl.
  • Warm the honey or maple syrup and the nut butter in a saucepan, if you’re adding any spices add them to the pan. Heat until just simmering, pour into the bowl with date paste and stir. Add the oats, nuts, seeds and coconut. Give it a good stir.
  • Line a square 20cm tin or dish with parchment paper and pour the mixture in, flattening and smoothing it. Cover and place into the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight. Cut into bars. store in the fridge or freezer.
Healthy Granola Bars

Tips:

  • Add either the zest of 1 orange zest or 1 tsp of cinnamon or ginger in step 2.
  • Vary the fruit, use chopped dried apricots, dried apple, cranberries or pear.
  • Omit the fruit and chocolate chips.

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Category: Autumn, Fika, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Spring, Summer, Vegan, WinterTag: fika, Gluten free, healthy, vegan
Previous Post:Clementine and Almond Cake
Next Post:Scandinavian Quick Pickled Red Onions

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Sometimes the greatest pleasures are the simplest: Sometimes the greatest pleasures are the simplest: pan con tomate, the bread still warm, tomatoes at their peak – sun-sweet and softly collapsing into their own juice. A generous glug of good olive oil, a pinch of flaky salt… and, because they’re at their very best, a silver-skinned sardine, seared for a gentle char. So good. 

Have a lovely weekend, friends.

#pancontomate #sardines #simplepleasures #mediterraneanfood #seasonaleating #foodwriter #homecooking #spanishfood #tapas #foodstagram #eatseasonal #foodlover #nordickitchenstories
Louise @nordickitchenstories and Fenella @flowerfi Louise @nordickitchenstories and Fenella @flowerfields.cookham are delighted to launch their latest workshop collaboration today:  A celebration of Autumn Food and Flowers.

The workshop will be on Friday 19th September and includes a tour of the flower farm, cookery and floristry demonstrations, a two course lunch – and a goody bag to take home! 
 
📌See link in bio for further details.
 

#foodandflowers #autumnworkshop  #seasonalfoodandflowers #seasonality #berkshire #buckinghamshire #marlow#learnsomethingneweveryday #flowerfarming #creativeclasses #thingstodoinberks #flowerfieldscookham #nordickitchenstories#cookham#maidenhead#cookhamdean
The greengages from the other day didn’t last lo The greengages from the other day didn’t last long. I gently cooked them with just a little honey and fresh grated ginger to make a soft, golden compote. It’s very low in natural sugar, so it needs to be kept in the fridge or frozen for later. It’s lovely just as it is, but I’ve shared more ideas on slide 2.

This morning I stirred mine into overnight oats and chia seeds soaked in kefir, then topped it with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, chopped pecans, pistachios, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

#greengages #stonefruit #compote #overnightoats #kefir #greekyoghurt #chiaseeds #pecans #pistachios #maplesyrup #cinnamon #ginger #cardamom #homecooking #seasonaleating #preservingfruit #adobeexpress #nordickitchenstories
I never say no to a gift of greengages, and nor wi I never say no to a gift of greengages, and nor will I pass up an offering from Mother Nature — wild plums — what a bumper harvest. Stone fruit are at their best right now, and I’m also roasting apricots with honey.

Planning on making plenty of compote, maybe I’ll ferment the wild ones, and definitely a batch of sweet and sour sauce that’s perfect with mackerel too.
Any extra and I’m thinking plum water kefir — or possibly a batch of pickled plums, if I get that far.

#seasonalcooking #stonefruit #greengages #wildplums #plumrecipes #sweetandsoursauce #mackerel #preserving #fermentation #waterkefir #saltedplum #pickledplums #apricots #roastedapricots #honeyroasted
Charred watermelon takes on a whole new personalit Charred watermelon takes on a whole new personality in this summer salad — smoky-sweet from the grill, its juiciness intensified by the heat. Grated halloumi brings a rich, salty contrast that plays beautifully against briny kalamata olives. Peppery rocket and fresh mint add brightness, all tied together with a generous drizzle of an EVOO dressing. It’s a salad that surprises — the flavours just work. No recipe needed, just good ingredients.

#grilledwatermelon #halloumisalad #norecipeneeded #summeronaplate #freshandsimple #seasonaleating #flavourforward #bbqsalad #nordickitchenstories
A bold and zesty plate: spiced summer meatballs wi A bold and zesty plate: spiced summer meatballs with warm giant couscous, tossed with roasted courgettes, red onions, and ribbons of steamed Swiss chard. The veg garden’s at its best—and somehow, it’s nearly August.

*See me making this on story highlights.

Spiced Summer Meatballs with Warm Couscous, Roasted Veg & Salsa Verde

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes
500g good quality chicken or pork mince
1 egg, yolk only
1.5 lemons, juiced and zested

100g giant couscous
500ml chicken or veg stock
Roasted veg of your choice, I used rainbow chard, & courgette from the garden and red onion

Fry the onion in a little oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cumin towards the end, cooking for 1–2 mins until fragrant.

In a bowl, combine the cooked onion and garlic with oregano, chilli flakes, mince, egg yolk and lemon zest. Season well and shape into small meatballs. I made 38.

Fry the meatballs in two batches in a little oil over medium heat until golden, then pop in the oven in a heat prof dish for 5-8 mins and add 50ml chicken or veg stock and a good squeeze of lemon to finishing cooking.

Simmer couscous in stock for 6-8 mins, until tender, then drain.
Roast courgettes & red onion at 200°C until soft and golden. Steam Swiss chard until just wilted.
Toss couscous with roasted veg and Swiss chard, then add remaining lemon juice.

For the salsa
Blitz basil, parsley & mint, anchovies, capers, gherkins, garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar & EVOO to make salsa verde.

Serve meatballs on the couscous salad with a generous spoonful of salsa verde on top.

#summeronaplate #couscousseason #gardengathered #seasonaleating #meatballmagic #almostaugust #vegetableforward
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