SKINNIER OATMEAL DATE & ORANGE BARS, lower-sugar

A skinnier, healthier version of Oatmeal Date & Orange Bars is lower in sugar but just-as-nice as the original...

Healthier, Lower-sugar Date & Oatmeal Bars with Blueberries
Photo 24/5/17 

Oatmeal and Date bars were a favourite in school lunch boxes in Canada.  Because they're so easy to make and so good for you, they would follow kids through university, into early adulthood and eventually to parenthood.  

Though a bit unfashionable now, the bars are high in oatmeal (labelled a wonder food) which helps lower cholesterol and maintain fibre levels. 

That said, the Oatmeal, Date & Orange Bars are an indulgence - dried fruit packs a lot of sugar.  They do, though, give a good energy boost after intense physical activity. 

The original recipe was designed for large groups and provided too many tempting leftovers.  

The revised version: 

• replaces some sugar with unsweetened dried coconut
• reduces the amount of dates
• replaces some dates with blueberries to counteract sweetness and add goodness
• cuts the recipe one-third overall to provide fewer leftovers
• uses spelt flour instead of common wheat flour (though common wheat can still be used)

There's not much that could be done about the butter levels but we must all make sacrifices!

The bars will keep in an air-tight container for a week but frankly eating them on the day they are baked is an experience not to be missed. 

Cost: £3.00

Feeds: 16-20 (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred: 

   170g/6oz pitted dates, chopped coarsely
   1/2 cup water, incl juice of orange
   1/2 tsp vanilla 
   
   zest and juice of small orange

   1 cup/120gm/4.2oz rolled oats or Uber Granola  (67 used English cup measures)
   1 cup/142gm/ 5oz plain spelt (or common wheat) flour (a 50-50 mix with wholemeal is also good) 
   1 pinch salt
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   2/3 cup/127gm/.5oz light brown sugar less 2-3 tbsp
   2-3 tbsp dried unsweetened coconut 

    3.8oz/110g butter, softened 

     couple of handfuls blue or other berries (opt)

Method:

1. Pour boiling water over dates to remove preservatives; leave for 2-5 mins depending on how 'dry' the original dates are; drain
2. Remove pips if necessary; also the tough stalk; chop coarsely
3. Bring dates, water, orange juice & vanilla to the boil; turn down heat; simmer until mix is thick, gloopy and the dates have nearly broken down (maybe 10-15 mins) This step can be done a day in advance. 
4. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/170fan/gas4; line a 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) tin with greaseproof paper
5. If butter isn't completely soft, zap it in the microwave on high at 20 sec intervals until it is, or pop it into the pre-heating oven for a minute or so 
6. In a large bowl, blend dry ingred, making sure the sugar is lump free; stir in zest, distributing evenly
7. Add butter; rub or stir together as if you were making crumble until butter is the size of peas
8. Spread under two thirds of the crumble mix in the pan, levelling the top with the spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup
9. Add the dates, spreading as you go; level with a spatula
10. Scatter over blueberries, if using
11. Cover with the final third of the oats, taking special care with the edges; cover the dates as evenly as you can
12. Bake 30 mins or until beautifully browned; half-way through you may wish to bring the back of the pan to the front for even browning
13. Place on a cooling rack; wait half an hour then use a sharp knife to cut into fingers or squares

Tips:

• If the budget doesn't stretch to blueberries, replace with coarsely chopped segments of orange, pith and membranes removed
• The Blogger has not yet tested spelt flakes instead of oatmeal but there is no reason why they would not work.  You might have to add a touch more butter                                                                  

                                                                     
                                                                                More bars on NavBar: Recipes I/baking 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SWOTTERS' TREATS: LOWER-SUGAR OATMEAL-DATE ENERGY BARS, good fibre

Oatmeal Date & Orange Bars went down like a storm when first posted but some found them way too sweet.  Here's a Skinnier, lower sugar but just-as-nice version...

Healthier, Lower-sugar Date & Oatmeal Bars with Blueberries
Maybe even more tasty than the original

The original recipe for these wonderfully energising Oatmeal Date Bars was designed for large groups and provided too many tempting leftovers for families or small gatherings.  

The revised version: 

• replaces some sugar with unsweetened dried coconut
• reduces the amount of dates
• replaces some dates with blueberries to counteract sweetness and add goodness
• cuts the recipe one-third overall to provide fewer leftovers
• uses spelt flour instead of common/ordinary wheat flour (though common wheat can still be used)

There's not much that could be done about the butter levels but we must all make sacrifices!

It was tested on tasters who raved over the first version; they loved each of the 3 subsequent versions including this 'final' product.

Cost: £3.00

Feeds: 16-20 (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred: (67 used English cup measures)

   6oz/170g pitted dates, chopped coarsely
   1/2 cup water, incl juice of orange
   1/2 tsp vanilla 
   
   zest and juice of small orange

   1 cup rolled oats or Uber Granola
   1 cup plain spelt (or common) flour;  a 50-50 white & wholemeal mix is good 
   1 pinch salt
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   2/3 cup light brown sugar less 2-3 tbsp
   2-3 tbsp dried unsweetened coconut 

    3.8oz/110g butter, softened 

     couple of handfuls blueberries

Method:

1. Pour boiling water over dates to remove preservatives; leave for 2-5 mins depending on how 'dry' the original dates are; drain
2. Remove pips if necessary; also the tough stalk; chop coarsely
3. Bring dates, water, orange juice & vanilla to the boil; turn down heat; simmer until mix is thick, gloopy and the dates have nearly broken down (maybe 10-15 mins) This step can be done a day in advance. 
4. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/170fan/gas4; line a 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) tin with greaseproof paper
5. If butter isn't completely soft, zap it in the microwave on high at 20 sec intervals until it is, or pop it into the pre-heating oven for a minute or so 
6. In a large bowl, blend dry ingred, making sure the sugar is lump free; stir in zest, distributing evenly
7. Add butter; rub or stir together as if you were making crumble until butter is the size of peas
8. Spread under two thirds of the crumble mix in the pan, levelling the top with the spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup
9. Add the dates, spreading as you go; level with a spatula
10. Scatter over blueberries
11. Cover with the final third of the oats, taking special care with the edges; cover the dates as evenly as you can
12. Bake 30 mins or until beautifully browned; half-way through you may wish to bring the back of the pan to the front for even browning
13. Place on a cooling rack; wait half an hour then use a sharp knife to cut into fingers or squares

Tip:

• If the budget doesn't stretch to blueberries, replace with coarsely chopped segments of orange with the pith and membranes removed
• The Blogger has not yet tested spelt flakes instead of oatmeal but there is no reason why they would not work.  You might have to add a touch more butter.

                                                                  
                                                                      
                                                                               For more bars, go to Recipes II on NavBar 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SPINACH & WHITE BEAN SOUP, Vegan with Carnivore/Pescatarian options; Office lunch,

This is one of those simple workaday stick-to-the ribs soups that's no-nonsense  but spectacularly tasty...

Healthy 'Gosh I'm hungry after working all day/ready for lunch!' soup; 30 mins prep
'I could eat loads of this; it is so tasty and comforting!' Taster

It's also budget- friendly and packed with nutrients, made from mostly cupboard ingredients.  Better still, it can be part-prepared the night before, saving you even more time before a bowlful hits the table. 

Have it for dinner or lunch or transport it to the office in a thermos.  Blitzed and served in small cups, the soup makes a warming 'welcome!' to a party.  

Cost: min £2.25 depending on quality of ingred
Feeds: 5-6

Ingred:
   2-3 tbsp good olive oil (don't skimp; it really makes the soup more flavoursome)
   med onion, peeled & diced
   3 cloves garlic, peeled & grated 
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried thyme
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried basil (??)
   
   4 cups good veg stock (granules are fine) 
   
   2 bay leaves
   1 cup cooked brown rice OR 2/3 cup washed drained easy-cook white rice or orzo pasta 

   2 mugs packed spinach, washed, grotty stems and leaves removed
   425gm/15oz tin cannelloni beans (organic have best texture) rinsed thoroughly and drained

  1 cup water
  
  juice lemon or lime
  pepper & salt to taste
   
   Garnish: croutons

Method: