Batch bake snacks

If you’re looking to mix up your usual elevenses, try out our recipes from the batch bake series. These two snack ideas are both delicious and nutritious and are super simple to make. Enjoy!

Tasty tahini flapjacks

Makes 12

Ingredients 

• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 30g light tahini
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 50g pitted dates
• 200g rolled oats
• 30g sunflower seeds
• 30g chia seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• ½ tsp sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, and line a baking tin with parchment.
2. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork until paste-like consistency forms, set aside.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan, over a low heat. Once melted remove from the heat and combine with tahini and honey, stirring gently.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, keeping half of the seeds aside. 
5. Gradually fold the coconut oil mixture and mashed banana into dry ingredients, until fully combined.
6. Spoon the mixture into your tin, making sure it’s level.
7. Sprinkle over the remaining seeds and bake for approx 18 minutes, or until golden brown. 
8. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing into 12 pieces. Enjoy!

“I love these tasty, seedy flapjacks to keep energy stores up but blood pressure down,” says nutritional therapist Michele Scarr.

“Chia seeds are the richest plant source of omega 3 fatty acids and a complete protein making them a great option for vegetarians and vegans, and with all that fibre, these will fill the gap, keeping you fuller for longer and are great for digestion too!”

Healthy homemade crisps

Serves 5

Ingredients 

• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 2 medium beetroots, peeled 
• 100g kale
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, and line two baking trays with parchment.
2. Thinly slice the carrots and beetroot. The best way to do this is with a mandolin slicer, or you can use a knife. Start at the widest part of the carrot.
3. Wash and gently tear any large kale leaves, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced carrots and beetroot to the bowl.
4. Drizzle the olive oil onto the vegetables and add the spices (adjust spices to desired taste) and toss until vegetables are evenly coated. 
5. Place the veg slices in single layers on the baking trays, and bake for approx 10 minutes, turn and bake for a further 10-12 minutes until crisp, and the sides of the carrots start to curl inwards.
6. Leave to cool and enjoy as a healthy alternative to shop-bought crisps!

“An excellent alternative to the ordinary crisp, this recipe uses little oil and lots of spice. Garlic, aka mother nature’s antibiotic, and paprika and cayenne, containing capsaicin, a potent circulation stimulant making these crisps supportive of heart health and diabetes.

“High fibre vegetables like kale – the most nutrient-dense food on the planet – are loaded with vitamin C and K, and the carrots and beetroot are rich in carotenoids good for vision (your Nan was right!).”

This recipe was originally published in the 2021 February edition of Happiful magazine, to purchase your copy, visit shop.happiful.com.