Cacao Muesli Bars

Ingredients

• ½ cup rice-malt syrup, or honey for non-vegan option
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil, or butter for a non-vegan option
• 2 cups raw rolled oats
• 1 cup sultanas
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• ½ cup Organic Merchant Sooth Dust
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups puffed grains, rice, quinoa or amaranth

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced) and line a 28cm x 20cm (approx.) baking tray with baking paper. This is optional, but it helps with getting the finished muesli bars out in the end.
• Combine the rice-malt syrup, coconut sugar and coconut oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Cook, while constantly stirring, for 5 mins or until the oil melts and the sugar dissolves.
• Bring to the boil and cook for 1–2 mins or until syrup thickens slightly, then remove from heat.
• Combine the oats, sultanas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, Sooth Dust, vanilla extract, salt, flour and puffed grains in a large bowl.
• Mix everything together, then pour over the hot syrup and stir thoroughly to combine well. Spoon the muesli bar mix into the tray and press down firmly.
• Bake in the oven for 20–25 mins or until golden brown and crisp.
• Remove from the oven and set aside in the tray to cool completely. This may take a couple of hours.
• Once the mixture is completely cooled and hardened, cut into rectangles (5cm x 9cm) to serve.