Muesli bars (butter, sugar and oil free)

I love muelsi bars but I hate the commercial ones as they are full of SO much sugar and bad oil. I like to make my own but most of the recipes I have come across have butter in them, which I don't eat. That's why when I came across this healthy baby recipe on a website when Josh was still very little I couldn't believe my luck.

I make these delicious muesli bars with slight variations for both Joshua and myself. They are chewy and not hard with just enough sweetness without making you feel sick afterwards which is perfect for small children. First, here is the original recipe:

Muesli Bars (makes aprroximately 10)

Step 1
In a food processor grind up the following then transfer to a larger bowl
1/3cup hazelnuts (50g)
2/3cup oats (70g)
2tablespoons sunflower seeds (25g)
2tablespoons pumpkin seeds (30g)

Step 2
In the same processor puree the following then add to the bowl above
3/4cups raisins (100g)
1 heaped cup dried apricots (140g)
4tablespoons apple or orange juice

Step 3
Mix together with a spoon then, with wet hands, continue to mix together till well combined

Step 4
Line a container of your choice with baking paper and place the mixture on top. Spread it out using your fingers and knuckles then cover with a layer of paper and continue to press till your desired thickness. At this point I pull the whole thing out and wrap tightly and continue to shape till the block is an even thickness all around.

Step 5
Cut into desired portions and return to the baking paper and place into a container stored in the fridge.

My version(makes 8-10 bars)

Step 1
Grind up 3/4 cups each of almonds and macadamias

Step 2
Chop up 1 level cup each of pitted dates and sultanas then combine with the above

Step 3
Add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Mix with wet hands,shape and cut as per the original recipe into pieces






Step 4

Roll each bar in some desicated coconut (They look like lamingtons - YUM!!)

Step 5

Drizzle with melted 70% dark chocolate

Keep stored in the fridge


Joshuas version (makes 10 bars)

Step 1
25g macadamias
25g almonds
70g oats
25g sunflower seeds
30g pumpkin seeds

Step 2
Puree
50g pitted dates
50g sultanas
140g dried apricots
2tablespoons apple puree (made from kept apple cores)
2tablespoons water
2tablespoons desicated coconut

Step 3
Mix with wet hands, and follow the above shaping procedure


Step 4
Drizzle with melted dark chocolate

Step 5

Cut into individual portions before cooling in the fridge.

**NOTE** As little hands, faces and clothes can get covered in chocolate quite easily, you might consider further cutting the bars into bite sized pieces so that they have to popped into a mouth rather than being held in a hand for too long!!

**TIP** An easy way to drizzle melted chocolate is to break up the chocolate into small squares then pop into into a zip lock bag. Microwave in 30sec increments till melted then cut a tiny snip off one corner and drizzlie it onto the bars.