New Recipe: Muesli bars with honey and seeds

Parents of growing children will, no doubt, be well acquainted with the voracious hunger that can swiftly descend upon kids following school pick-up. 

These muesli bars, made with lots of seeds and honey, make for a mighty satisfying snack, particularly when served alongside a glass of kefir. Soft and chewy, with just a bit of crunch from the pepitas, my whole family enjoys them. 

Here, generous amounts of honey, butter and almond butter act as a sort of glue that holds together the oats and seeds. Swapping the almond butter for hulled tahini will make these muesli bars nut free, and potentially a suitable lunch box snack for children who attend nut-free schools. Though keep in mind, some may be allergic to sesame seeds.

I like to make a big batch of these bars on the weekend and serve them not just after school, but at breakfast time, too — ideal for the mornings when you’re running late, or when you simply want something quick that requires little clean up. Many times I’ve enjoyed a bar or two for breakfast myself, alongside a cup of strong back coffee. Quite the perfect pick me up.

Tips:

• If using rolled oats instead of quick oats: pulse the oats a few times in a food processor to break them up. Using standard rolled oats will lead to crumbly bars.
• Use natural almond butter: this means almond butter that is made of 100 per cent almonds.
• Swap the almond butter for hulled tahini: this will make the bars nut free, however keep in mind this won’t be suitable for anyone allergic to sesame seeds.
• Avoid using peanut butter: I don’t recommend swapping the almond butter for peanut butter — the flavour doesn’t suit the bars. 
• Baking tray: if you don’t have a tray that is precisely 18cm x 23cm, you can use a slightly larger tray and simply leave some of the tray unfilled (ie. form the mixture into a shape that is 18cm x 23cm).
• Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing: it’s very important you allow the muesli bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing. This will take 1–2 hours. I know, I know — it’s hard to wait. But if you fast track the process, the bars will likely crumble.