I’ve been making flapjacks for years: chocolate flapjacks, apricot flapjacks, banana flapjacks, coconut flapjacks…you name it.
They’ve become a staple snack in our house, as they’re so easy to make and customise, they don’t require any fancy ingredients, and the oats make them a great source of energy (AKA perfect for the mid-afternoon slump).
I like to make a batch on a Sunday to keep me going through the week. In reality, I make a batch on a Sunday, then each time I pass through the kitchen on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, I say “ooh I’ll just have a flapjack’, then by Wednesday they are no more. If I could only exercise some self control around these bad boys, who knows, maybe they’d last until Thursday.
I lead a pretty active lifestyle so I wanted to make some flapjacks which were packed with energy but didn’t include 10 tablespoons of sugar – ain’t nobody got time for sugar headaches.
So I went with a natural sweetener which happens to be a great energy source… dates! Ah dates. So sweet, so caramel-y and downright delicious. The combination of banana and peanut butter works really well, and I’m sure you could swap peanut for a different nut butter of choice if you’d prefer.
This recipe is suitable for vegans, and if you use gluten-free oats, it’ll also be good for all you gluten-frees out there.
Ingredients
- 1 large knob of vegan butter/margerine
- 10-12 unstoned dates, chopped
- 3 tbsp peanut butter – I use Whole Earth Smooth
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Handful of walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 150g oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper or tin foil.
- Heat a pan over a low heat and add the vegan butter.
- Stir until it melts, then add the peanut butter and maple syrup.
- Continue to stir until it’s all mixed in together, then remove from the heat.
- Add the dates, walnuts, bananas and oats and mix everything together.
- Pour the mixture into the tray, and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until they’re golden on top -be sure to keep an eye on them.
- Remove from the oven, slice into squares and allow to cool.
Tip: If you’re unsure whether or not your flapjacks are ready, simply put a knife in one, and if it’s clean when you withdraw it, it’s done.
What’s your favourite flavour flapjack? If you make these Peanut & Banana ones, be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below!
Until next time, happy baking!
