This oat bar recipe is the first in the series of oat bars that I am creating. I made these oat bars especially for Halloween because of the pumpkin season! They are incredibly easy to make and bake!
Although the star in this recipe is pumpkin, they are packed with fibre, B vitamins and healthy fats because of the added pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds. They are also lightly sweetened from the pumpkin and the raisins. They smell amazing when they come out of the oven!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN OAT BAR RECIPE
Makes: 12 bars
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
300gr of rolled oats (3 cups)
50gr Raisins (⅓ cup)
60gr Pumpkin Seeds (approx. ½ cup)
60gr Ground Flaxseeds (approx. ½ cup)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1stp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground clove
340gr raw pumpkin, flesh only, cut into small chunks
4tbs of milk (60ml)- any type
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 160 C fan (350 F).
2. Line a 20cmx 20cm square tin with baking parchment paper.
3. Immersed raisins into hot water for 10 minutes to plump up and then drain excess water.
4. Add pumpkin in a microwavable bowl, add 2 tbs of water, cover with cling film and put it in microwave for approximately 5-8 minutes to cook and soften (the timing will depend on your microwave and the type of pumpkin). Leave it to cool.
5. In a big bowl, add oats, raisins, pumpkin seed and ground flax seeds and spices. Mix thoroughly so that everything is distributed well.
6. In another bowl, mashed the cooled pumpkin with a fork and mix in the milk
7. Add the mashed pumpkin into the big bowl and mix well, so that all the dry ingredients get some moisture.
8. Fill the baking tin with the mix and press well into the corners with the back of the spoon, making sure it is all levelled.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until firm on the top and a little golden brown.
10. Take out of the oven and leave it to cool for 10 minutes. After that, cut the mixture into 12 equal sized bars and leave it to cool completely on a wire rack.
These oat bars are suitable for the whole family to enjoy. If you want to give it to toddlers you may want to omit the pumpkin seeds and cut the bar in half as they are quite rich and fibre dense.
The bars are vegetarian as they are, yet you can transform them to vegan if you replace the milk with something alternative like almond milk. Yum!
Of course, these are also suitable for those who wish to enhance their fertility.
Stay tuned.... the next series of oat bars are specifically created for couples in mind!
Happy Halloween everyone!