Here’s a very quick recipe for oat bars (flapjacks, if you’re in the UK) that is crispy on the outside and cakey in the middle – yum.

As they’re packed with oats and fruit, these oat bars are great for an energy boost. The recipe also uses a fruit sugar syrup made from natural fruit sugars that contains 25% fewer calories and a low GI – so these bars should release energy slowly, without the highs and lows you get with sugary snacks.

I used soya margarine as I’m aiming for a dairy-free diet, but you could use butter if you wanted to.

Here’s what to do to make these delicious oat bars.

Ingredients

100g (3.5 oz) soya margarine (plus a little extra for greasing the tin)
100g (3.5 oz) fruit sugar syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp mixed spice
100g (3.5 oz) mixed fruit
215g (7.6 oz) Scottish porridge oats
1 small loaf tin

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan assisted, 400F)
In a saucepan, melt the margarine, vanilla, spice and syrup over a low heat until completely dissolved
Stir in the fruit and heat for a further minute, then stir in the oats
Transfer the mixture to the greased loaf tin and press down gently
Bake for 15 minutes, then leave to cool
When almost cooled, tip out and cut into six bars with a sharp knife

Enjoy!

I made these with a view to taking them to work as healthy snacks, but they’re so tasty we ate them straight away. Stored in an airtight container, they should last a few days (assuming you have more willpower than us).

Who will you share your oat bars with?

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