A chocolate flapjack that's good for you!

Snacks. Could we live without them? I’d like to think so but my children think otherwise. I don’t even get a ‘hello’ when picking my five year up from school now – the first thing he asks is ‘where’s my snack?’. Like it or not, sweet and savoury snacks are an integral part of our day, so I try to diversify them as much as possible.

These satisfying little sweet chocolate flapjacks are simple to make and are nut-free so suitable to take to school. It’s easy to make a batch and freeze half for another week.

For those of you with an eye on sugar content – yes the dried fruit and maple syrup do mean this is a sweet treat (so you shouldn’t eat the whole tray at once….).

But it’s important to get this in perspective:

  • The maple syrup adds less than one teaspoon of added sugar per serving (most chocolate bars have at least seven teaspoons of sugar)
  • The dark coloured dates, prunes and raisins are a great source of antioxidants, iron and fibre
  • The addition of the oats, seeds and coconut dramatically slow down the rate at which the sugars from the fruit and syrup enter your bloodstream. They also help to fill you up so you’re unlikely to want to eat too many; an open packet of chocolate biscuits on the other hand will call you back to it again and again…..
  • Rather than the sugary chocolate snacks we’re used to, the ‘chocolate’ in these flapjacks is actually really healthy. Cocoa has an antioxidant power higher than any fruit or vegetable so is great to eat (or drink) on a regular basis. Cacao, which is essentially raw unroasted cocoa (you’ll find it in the health shops) is even better, and could easily be substituted in this recipe.

Add to this mix the satiating, antimicrobial (e.g. bug-zapping) properties of the sweet, creamy coconut oil that helps to bind the flapjacks, and for me there’s no contest: I’ll take these flapjacks any day over a chocolate bar.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Flapjacks
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
25-30 squares 10 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
25-30 squares 10 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Chocolate Flapjacks
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
25-30 squares 10 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Servings Prep Time
25-30 squares 10 minutes
Passive Time
2 hours
Ingredients
Servings: squares
Instructions
  1. Blitz the seeds, dates and prunes in a food processor for around 10-15 seconds. Stop before they start to clump together in a ball.
  2. Add the oats to the processor and pulse several times to reduce their size
  3. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan
  4. add the maple syrup to the melted coconut oil, followed by the cacao or cocoa powder and stir until dissolved
  5. Combine the coconut oil with the dry ingredients in the processor
  6. Stir in the raisins
  7. Line the bottom of a small flapjack tray with greaseproof paper and squash the mixture into the tray
  8. Add a layer of greaseproof paper on top and squash the mixture down to ensure it is compacted
  9. Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours before turning the whole slab onto a chopping board, and cutting into 25-30 squares
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