Thank Bananas it's Friday

Bananas about Bananas

Still on late shifts this week so desperate for a healthy snack to eat before work.  When I leave home it's not quite lunch time yet, however I need to eat something since I won't again till I get home after 6pm.  

When most mum's visit they bring biscuits or cakes, my mum brings me peppermint teabags, Free from fish fingers and recently mixed seeds.  Do you know how hard it is to get Fish fingers Free from yeast!!!!!

(I'm not totally mad....They use it in the breadcrumb coating)

The idea of making a brunch breakfast bar originated with a way to bake with my mixed seeds. Seeds, grains and fruit are all great slow energy release foods, making them perfect for eating before work.   

First Experiment:

Banana & Marmalade Breakfast Bar

I'm not on a health kick, I just genuinely love the majority of healthy food.  Which is just as well, since due to my IBS triggers am intolerant to most of the unhealthy ones.  

The muesli and seeds add a crunchy texture, while the banana adds some natural sweetness. The orange marmalade lifts the taste of the brunch breakie bar ensuring it doesn't become to boring.  

I loved this one so much Iv eaten the lot......

Breakfast Bar

4 oz Dairy free Spread
2 oz Caster Sugar
6 oz Flour
2 oz Muesli
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 banana - mashed
2- 4  tbsp orange marmalade (Depends on your personal taste)
1 tbsp Mixed Seeds

Pre-heat oven to 180 Celsius and grease a 9 in baking tin with vegetable oil

Using a hand mixer beat the dairy free spread and sugar together, then add in the mashed banana.

Add the flour, muesli and baking powder to the bowl and continue to mix.

You should end up with a soft dough, half way between a cake batter and cookie dough.  Place 3/4 of the dough into your baking tin and press down.  

(Coat your hands with vegetable oil to stop the dough sticking to your fingers)

Beat your orange marmalade to make it more spreadable, and drop over the top.  Use a knife to spread over into a rough layer.  Or you might want to drop randomly so each bite of breakfast bar is different.  

Add the Mixed seeds to the remaining soft dough, then drop roughly over the top of the marmalade.  

Bake in your oven for 20 - 30 Min's, once cooked leave to cool in the baking tin.

(I like to place the baking tin on a wire rack to let cool.  It stops the breakfast bar from sweating.  That horrible condensation that develops on the bottom of baking tins, that can make the bottom of your biscuits or bars to wet)

Second Experiment

Raw Banana Oat snack

  I'm just Loving Raw Snacks at the moment.  I get the sweetness kick without the sugar playing havoc on my IBS.  I keep mine in the freezer, they only need 1 min to defrost enough to eat.  


Raw healthy oat snack

1 cup Dates - Chopped
1 tbsp Flax seed/ Lin seeds
1 tsp Cocoa Powder
1/3 Cup Mixed seeds
1/2 Cup Oats
1/2 Banana - Chopped

Grind the flax seed and soak in hot water with the chopped dates.  

Once cooled place the seed and date mix into a blender along with the rest of the ingredients.

Blitz together to form a dough, chill in the fridge for 30 Min's then roll into balls. 

Already have some ideas for next week......