Not just for brekkie breakfast bars

I  am obsessed with buying cookbooks. I know you can find just about any and every recipe on the world wide web but there's something about getting a new book, the smell, the pictures and oh the possibilities. I also have a habit of changing recipes and adding or removing ingredients.

My new favourite read is "The Virgin Kitchen" by Susan Jane White. Susan has created and developed lovely easy, nutritious and healthy recipes for anytime of the day. These "Badass Breakfast Bars" caught my eye at 10pm last night and i just had to make them there and then. I'm off work every second weekend so i like to try make that Sunday morning brekkie a little special or at least different.

The super thing about these are that because oats are low glycemic food they release energy slowly, however they do need to be cooked or soaked to get the most from their nutritional benefits, so these bars tick all the boxes and of course are not just for breakfast.

I have put the measurements in cups because everyone has a cup and as long as you use the same cup for measuring all the ingredients your onto a win win situation.

Breakfast Bars
Makes 10-12 bars depending on greediness..

2 1/4 cups a mix of dried apricots, prunes and figs
cinnamon stick
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds
2 1/2 cups of rolled oats ( i used half and half buckwheat flakes and rolled oats) *
1/2 cup rye flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup of milled linseed
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
pinch of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt*
1/2 cup of orange juice freshly squeezed
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 tablespoons of honey or agave syrup or brown rice syrup
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or extract

*if you use jumbo oats give them a quick pulse in a food processor being careful they don't turn to dust.
*Himalayan Pink Salt is jam packed full of minerals.
To read more on its benefits just visit this link http://fitlife.tv/10-amazing-benefits-of-pink-himalayan-salt/

Preheat the oven 180 degrees Celsius and line a 15 cm square tine with baking parchment paper.

Put your dried fruit mix and cinnamon stick into a pan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20-25 minutes until soft. You may need to add a little more water towards the end. Stir in the lime juice and squish with a fork to mix all together. It should not be completely smooth.

Roughly chop the seeds and in a mixing bowl mix with the grounds almonds, oats, rye flour, coconut, salt and linseed.
Heat the coconut oil with the orange juice, vanilla and sweetener gently in a small pan don't allow to boil you just want to melt the coconut oil.

Using dampened hand place 2/3 of the oaty mix on the bottom of the tin and flatten down. Spread the dried fruit jam on top and crumble the remaining oat mix ontop. For a little texture i like to leave the top slightly crumbly.
Bake for 40-45 minute till golden but not brown. Allow to cool completely (if you can) before slicing into squares. These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 10 days.