I love making these every week or two as easy grab snacks for bub and I. They are high in protein and healthy fat so they will keep you feeling satisfied for longer, and the best thing is you can substitute any nut, seed or dried fruit - I just recommend using a few medjool dates at least as they bind the mixture so well. To speed up time, you could throw all the nuts and seeds into a food processor to ensure they are chopped finely.
Prep: 10 mins
Bake: 20-25mins
Makes: 20 squares
Freeze? Yes
Suitable for bub? 12 months+
Dry Ingredients:
1.5 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup of finely chopped nuts
(I love walnuts and cashews)
1 cup of chopped dried fruit
(I use medjool dates and sultanas)
1/4 cup sesame or poppy seeds
2 Tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 tbsp psyllium husks
1 tsp. cinnamon
Wet ingredients:
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
8 Tbsp. water
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup olive or macadamia oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup of any nut or seed milk
Heat your oven to approx. 175deg. In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds and water together, set aside. Then combine the dry ingredients together in a larger bowl. Blend/process or mash together the bananas, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add the chia gel and pulse to mix. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Quickly transfer the mixture to a lined or oiled baking pan (mine was 9″ x 11″), spread the batter and smooth it out with a spatula. If you don’t transfer it quickly, the psyllium absorbs the water making the mixture thick and hard to transfer and spread around the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly golden. Let it cool completely before slicing in squares, and store in airtight container in the fridge to prolong the shelf life, or freeze a few so you always have a snack on the go!