Cereal bars.

RonanP77

I tried making my own yesterday but didn't have all the ingredients I wanted. I had no peanut butter so used Nutella instead, that probably makes them less healthy than I intended.

I used;
Porridge,
Flax seeds,
Wheat germ,
Walnuts,
Blueberries,
Raisins,
Nutella,
Honey,
Crumbled corn flakes.

The intention is that if I get a recipe that works, I could bring them with me on runs/cycles as a snack. Obviously any future batches will have peanut butter and not Nutella.

Good idea or bad idea?

vistafinder

Looks good to me and better than anything you would get in a shop. You might need some butter to stop them from breaking up.

dragratchet

sounds nice. do they hold together well though, i did variation of the GCN uber-bars along with a load of other ingredients, nuts etc, but they were pretty dry and crumbly, nearly choked on one whilst eating it mid-ride :eek:

RonanP77

I used a lot of honey and keep them in the fridge so they gold together quite well. I'll try them before and after my Duathlon tomorrow and hopefully they'll keep me going.

2 Wheels Good

Below is the recipe I use, find it great.
I use sesame seeds as well and use mixed fruits sometimes instead of the 125g raisins and 100g cranberries. The coconut can be a bit strong too so I’ve dropped that for Goji berries and mixed nuts.
Condensed milk is the only (really) bad thing, but it's the glue that sticks it together so has to be used. Instructions for baking it in the link.
Bored one night and worked out the calories, about 4500 per tray, so about 450 for a good slice.

http://www.odlums.ie/recipes/odlums-recipes/cupcakes-buns-and-muffins/healthy-breakfast-bars/

Ingredients

300g/11oz Odlums Harvest Fruit Porridge
1x 397g Tin Condensed Milk
125g/4oz Shamrock Raisins
100g Packet Shamrock Flaked Almonds
100g Packet Dried Cranberries or Blueberries
75g/3oz Shamrock Desiccated Coconut
2 tablespoons Linseeds

Allabaah

I have used this recipe from GCN and varied it with the dried fruit based on what was in the cupboard. Used honey instead of golden syrup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ

Worked a treat.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Allabaah wrote: »

I have used this recipe from GCN and varied it with the dried fruit based on what was in the cupboard. Used honey instead of golden syrup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ

Worked a treat.

I tried to make them but couldn't for the life of me get the brown sugar to dissolve in the oil, no amount of heat or mixing was getting it done. I ended up using a little water instead and it worked out no bother. They're seriously tasty, but Id say the calorie value of them is through the roof.

TonyStark

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I tried to make them but couldn't for the life of me get the brown sugar to dissolve in the oil, no amount of heat or mixing was getting it done. I ended up using a little water instead and it worked out no bother. They're seriously tasty, but Id say the calorie value of them is through the roof.

I just lump the sugar in as a dry ingredient... Let the oven take care of melting it :-)

Orion

When I make flapjacks the sugar melts with the butter on a low heat. It should do that with oil too. Never thought of using honey instead of golden syrup - good call.

Allabaah

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I tried to make them but couldn't for the life of me get the brown sugar to dissolve in the oil, no amount of heat or mixing was getting it done. I ended up using a little water instead and it worked out no bother. They're seriously tasty, but Id say the calorie value of them is through the roof.

Don't recall having that issue but I'll be cranking up a batch soon so I will repost. I use Flahavans organic jumbo oats to dilute the calorie nightmare!

http://www.flahavans.ie/index.php/site-structure/main-menu/our-products/porridge-oats/organic/flahavans-irish-organic-porridge-oats-1kg/160

Lashing the nuts, seeds, dried fruit - cranberries & especially the goji berries!

Allabaah

Orion wrote: »

When I make flapjacks the sugar melts with the butter on a low heat. It should do that with oil too. Never thought of using honey instead of golden syrup - good call.

I find the golden syrup very synthetic. Honey is the job in this case even if it is crystallized in the jar! The oven will take care of it!

lismore7

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I tried to make them but couldn't for the life of me get the brown sugar to dissolve in the oil, no amount of heat or mixing was getting it done. I ended up using a little water instead and it worked out no bother. They're seriously tasty, but Id say the calorie value of them is through the roof.

I have made several batches of the GCN "Uber Bars". I've no probs with them either being too dry nor melting the brown sugar...
Great bars cause they dont melt nor go gooy in your back pocket.
Points to remember.
1. Stick to exactly the stated amounts (exception..use a little less oil)
2. N.B. Use "SOFT brown sugar" NOT demerarra nor any course brown sugar (otherwise it's hell on earth to melt)
3. Use very hot pan and even with the soft brown sugar it takes a while to melt, be patient
4. I substituted honey for the golden syrup but you must lessen the baking time cause the honey will burn quicker than syrup
5. I used slightly less sun flower oil than stated, as I found the bars to be too oily for me.
6. Once the soft brown sugar hardens after it cools from oven + honey + the sunflower oil, will hold the bars together
7. Enjoy the massive calorie hit..:D

irishrover99

I have started making my own recently and now i'm eating them even when not on the bike.

Add already cooked rice to coconut milk or any good fruit juice. I like mango and orange juice.
Then add
Cranberries
Chopped Banana
Raisins
Chopped Coconut(makes them taste like Bounty bars)
Honey

Let them simmer till the juice or coconut milk is nearly evaporated, keep stirring so it does not stick
Then slapped them in the fridge let them cool. Very nice.
All the ingredients bought from Tesco except for the rice which is Thai jasmine rice which i get from a Asian shop in the city. Easily the nicest rice in the world.
If you use juice it gives the rice a nice smell and colour

RonanP77

They sound pretty good, I might give them a go.

Allabaah

irishrover99 wrote: »

I have started making my own recently and now i'm eating them even when not on the bike.

Add already cooked rice to coconut milk or any good fruit juice. I like mango and orange juice.
Then add
Cranberries
Chopped Banana
Raisins
Chopped Coconut(makes them taste like Bounty bars)
Honey

Let them simmer till the juice or coconut milk is nearly evaporated, keep stirring so it does not stick
Then slapped them in the fridge let them cool. Very nice.
All the ingredients bought from Tesco except for the rice which is Thai jasmine rice which i get from a Asian shop in the city. Easily the nicest rice in the world.
If you use juice it gives the rice a nice smell and colour

They sound almost decadent! Good call.