Friday 6 February 2015

Kids in the Kitchen - Coconut , Oat & Fruit Bars !

This recipe is so easy the kids could bake it themselves ! Happening this weekend !


I was given this recipe by my Sister in law - {it's her favourite - came from a magazine or recipe book} - all my boys love it. Now my boys are eight - I'm starting more cooking lessons -with supervision because the mixture is so tasty too might not make the tin.

Preparation time - 5 mins
Cooking time - 15 -20mins

School lunchbox friendly - No eggs, no milk and no nuts.

1 cup rolled oats (I've used crushed up weetbix when I didn't have quite a cup)
1 cup sultanas ( any dried fruit - Cranberries/Apricot bits)
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup raw sugar
150g butter
1 tablespoon honey or golden syrup.


(Don't tell them - I sometimes add in 2 tablespoon of flax-seed meal, chia or cooked quinoa and I've experimented with only 1/3 c sugar or brown sugar instead of raw and they still taste great)

Method


  1. Preheat oven to 180 °
  2. Melt butter and add honey.
  3. Mix dry flour with oats, sultanas and coconut - stir butter and honey mix into dry ingredients. Mixture should cling together. 
  4. Press evenly and firmly into 28cm x 18cm Lamington pan.
  5. Bake for 15- 20 mins - until golden. TIP - Under bake slightly if you prefer them softer . We like them a little crunchy.
  6. Cut into bars or squares while hot and remove from tin when cold - they can be quite crumbly but the crumbs are more'ish. 
PS - Save the crumbly bits to mix with plain yogurt or crumble atop stewed apple or pear if there are any left ! 

For a special treat swap some sultanas for choc chips or press a few into the bars before you pop it in the oven.! 

What age did your kiddos start cooking ?
Any ideas for other meals 8yr olds can cook with limited supervision ?