Apricot Macadamia Muesli Bars

So I'm not really a wholefoods kind of girl. No one who likes KFC as much as I do could possibly claim to be. You won't find me wafting around the health food store in a hemp shirt glaring at the carnivores over at the butcher shop - although I once was a vegetarian I've actually had to forgo that to improve my health! (plus now I actually do enjoy a steak...)

But I have recently started to object to all the additives and preservatives on the labels of what I eat.

As I'm intolerant of dairy I've had to have soy milk for a long time now and have only just realised how insanely long the list of ingredients is on there for something that should be relatively simple. For the same reason I use cheap margarine - and there's not a real ingredient on that massive list either. While my major interest is flavour and not being unwell, I think a major part of feeling good and being healthy is eating things in a more or less natural state.

So I spotted a bargain at the bookstore 'Coming Home to eat Wholefood for the Family' by Jude Blereau. As well as decent non dairy recipes and a not too preachy or scare factor attitude she is Australian and uses relatively accessible products as well as approving the cheaper products if you can't afford the expensive ones.

We go through stacks of muesli bars at our place. The easy option for grabbing something for work and easy for Husband when he's on a night shift - also considered to be the 'healthy option': having said that - the packets read like a novel of additives and preservatives plus stacks of sugar. Jude has a muesli bars recipe so I decided to give it a go. It has been such a hit, so inexpensive (in comparison), better flavour and better for us.

One day we may have some kids, and I don't know that I'll be one of those mums who refuses the kids the shop bought treats but if I can replace some of the day to day with better for you it just makes the treats all that much more treaty!

Muesli Bars (adapted from the aforementioned book deleting sultanas: I don't like, and coconut: husband doesn't like)

2 Cups rolled oats
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped macadamias
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
90ml Light olive oil
45ml golden syrup (supposed to be rice bran syrup - but I couldn't get any)
45ml maple syrup

Mix together well, press into a small lined baking tray and bake for 30mins at 180 degrees C until golden. Wait until completely cool until cutting into bars and keeping in an airtight container.

Stepford tip - the centre of mine disintegrated as it wasn't as firmly cooked as the edges were. I toasted it for a bit longer in the oven just loose and served it up with milk as homemade muesli - it was lovely.