Wholesome Flapjack

This is an ideal recipe to use up those almost black bananas you have left lurking at the bottom of the fruit bowl. As bananas ripen, the resistant starch turns to simple sugar making them easier to digest. Levels of antioxidants also rise as they ripen.

WHOLESOME FLAPJACK

Joanne Iceton

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Servings 16 squares (20 x 20cm baking pan)

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp. nut butter e.g. peanut, almond, cashew etc. preferably smooth
• 50 g butter/coconut oil
• 3 tbsp. honey/maple syrup
• 2 ripe bananas mashed
• 1 apple grated
• 250 g oats
• 200 g dried fruit chopped if needed (I used a combination of apricots, dates and raisins)
• 100 g mixed seeds optional

Instructions

 

• Oven 160c
• Melt the nut butter, butter/coconut oil and honey or maple syrup (either in a microwave in short bursts or in a pan over a medium heat).
• Mash in the banana thoroughly until there are no lumps then add 100ml water. Stir in the remaining ingredients to make a kind of batter consistency.
• Pour into a grease/lined 20 x 20cm baking tin then bake for 50 - 60 mins until the edges are golden and the centre has set.
• Leave to cool fully in the tin otherwise it will just crumble if cut when hot. Due to the fruit content, these flapjacks are best kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

The base for this flapjack is a lot looser than traditional flapjack and more like a 'batter', which is why it takes longer to cook

You can also sub 100g of the dried fruit for 100g chopped chocolate (dark chocolate contains more antioxidants).

Nutritional Benefits

The fruit and oat content offer soluble and insoluble fibre essential for good digestive health and preventing heart disease.

Bananas are a source of potassium (essential for the functioning of all cells), soluble fibre (for good digestive health) and a source of tryptophan which helps lift mood and aids sleep. Ripe bananas are easier to digest than ‘green’ bananas so a lot gentler on the tummy and have a higher antioxidant level (antioxidants are substances that can help prevent damage or changes  to cells in the body that can lead to disease).

The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Apples are low on the glycaemic index due to their high fibre content and along with its antioxidants, help to protect against degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s .

Oats are one of nature’s finest foods; high in soluble fibre which is essential for good digestive health, proven to help maintain a healthy circulatory system and lower the risk of heart disease. Because they are low on the glycaemic index (how food is scored when it comes to raising blood sugars), they are a sustainable source of energy and great for diabetics. They contain many plant chemicals and vitamin E which are shown to improve heart health, prevent certain cancers and improve brain power.

Peanut butter is full of protein, heart healthy monosaturated fatty acids, niacin (important for memory), potassium, bone building magnesium and  soluble fibre.  It also helps keep you satiated meaning you are less likely to reach for snacks. (Look for those with no added sugar or palm oil; the latter is  often sourced from plantations  created through the deforestation of rain forests and at the detriment of many animals and plants. The palm oil used is also often oxidised which has a negative impact on cardiovascular health too).

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