By Andy Hyslop
This is a great alternative to expensive energy bars. They taste a million times better than any commercial bar, has all the required ingredients for endurance activity, cheaper and probably healthier than any of the alternatives. Pine nuts and almonds are packed with essential minerals, vitamins and "heart friendly" mono-unsaturated fatty acids that help benefit in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood. Similarly oats are an excellent source of slow release energy and have additional antioxidant and cholesterol lowering benefits. The sugar content helps if you are on your knees, but this is well balanced by [good] fat content helping minimise the chances of a 'sugar crash'. Pat and I have been using this recipe for a couple of years on long cycle rides and for any endurance activity in the hills. Power Flapjack was a big help in getting me around the Winter Cairngorms Circuit a few years ago. Try it, we're sure you'll like it!
Ingredients
- 125g Butter
- 150g Soft brown sugar or muscovado
- 125g Crunchy peanut butter
- 75g Honey
- 200g Porridge oats (not jumbo oats)
- 150g Dried fruit
- 50g Pine Nuts, Almonds (mixed).
Instructions
Line ~20cm square tin. Place the butter, sugar, peanut butter and honey into a large pan on a very low heat until melted. Stir in oats, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Put the mixture into the tin. Garnish with a few nuts on top and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for approximately 30mins.
Leave until cool then cut into squares (or bolt the lot while warm!).
