Hey there
I just thought that I’d share about my latest food cooking and testing. There’s been a lot of talk lately about sugar and its effect on our health, ranging from what we’ve all known since we were kids = tooth decay, to its impact on blood sugar and its big calorie boost to our diet.
My wife and I are both Type 2 diabetics and have been trying to reduce our sugar intake for some time, with the inevitable “fails”, because hey, it’s still VERY nice? But – we’re now not buying as much food with added sugar and cutting back on the things that used to add the sugar, e.g. icecream and sweets etc, our big weaknesses.
Instead – for sweet treats, we are eating more fresh, dried and canned fruit which, while still having natural fruit sugars also has natural vitamins, minerals and fibre. The fructose, the sugar in fruit is delivered much more slowly, so there’s not that “spike” in blood sugar.
But what do you do when you want something sweet, filling, healthy and convenient?
For a long time muesli bars were promoted as healthy snacks – because of the various nuts, grains and seeds, but in truth were loaded with cane sugar, at levels up to 50%. So I started to wonder – would it be possible to make my own, healthier muesli and muesli bars?
I tried and found that not only WAS it possible – but that it was super easy and inexpensive too! So here’s my very flexible recipe, that takes about 10 – 20 minutes to mix, and with just a quick cook and cool, makes awesome bars or breakfast cereal.
Added Sugar Free Muesli Bars & Cereal
1 cup chopped dried apricots, or prunes, – or raisins, sultanas, or 2 bananas etc (whole).
3/4 cup whole rolled oats or other cereal
1/2 cup raw peanuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts or similar
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds or pumpkin or sunflower
1/4 – 1/3 cup coconut oil or copha or butter (melted) – Note: coconut oil or copha sets bars best
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Grated zest 1 lemon (optional)
1 Tsp Mixed spice or Cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 egg whites – this is high protein and also the “glue” that aids in setting the bars
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180C.
If using apricots, prunes, bananas or large nuts – chop into smaller pieces in a food processor and place in a bowl.
Mix together the chopped fruit, coconut butter, or copha etc and all other ingredients by hand until combined.
Line a tray or dish with baking paper and pat the mixture onto the bottom to approximately 1 cm thick for muesli bars, or just spread roughly for cereal. If making muesli bars, score while wet into bar shapes.
Cook for 15 mins, turning the tray 1/2 way through the cook.
Allow to cool before placing into fridge.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour before eating, store in fridge.
Enjoy
Steve