My sugar free Lent is going well. Okay, it's going well-ish. I'm not tempted by sugar, but I am missing something snack-shaped, especially in the evenings if I'm watching TV.
A couple of times I've succumbed to the delights of crisps, but the high salt content isn't good for me, so I've had to knock that on the head.
So instead I made flapjacks. They don't look hugely enticing in this photo, but then hearty flapjacks aren't often things of beauty. But they are very more-ish and satisfy that sweet craving.
I didn't want to use a recipe with golden syrup or agave nectar in it as they're basically sugar in another form. So these flapjacks get their sweetness from dates and apple juice.
Note: you will need a food processor for this recipe. That's because the dates need to be thoroughly squished up into a paste in order for them to be sticky enough. You could try chopping them up with a knife, but I don't think you'd get that sticky consistency and your flapjacks would be too crumbly to eat easily.
Ingredients:
150g buttery spread (I reckon you could use a non-dairy spread if you're vegan)
150g soft dates
3 tablespoons of apple juice
30g hazelnuts (or other nuts and seeds, whatever's in your cupboard)
100g chopped apricots (or whatever you have. I used various dried berries and sultanas)
225g porridge oats
To make:
Whizz up the dates and apple juice in your food processor until they form a sticky paste. Gently melt your buttery spread in a saucepan. Add the date puree, then add the other ingredients. Once it's all thoroughly combined, tip it into a greased shallow baking tin (or silicon version) and press it down firmly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. (Sorry, can't tell you what temp to use. My oven's too erratic to tell. Use your judgement.)
Once they're done, leave the baking tray on a wire rack for 10 minutes or so, then slice the flapjacks up into nice sized chunks, and tuck in!
One other thing: the date and apple juice mixture looked like it could prove a nice alternative to a sugary jam to spread on toast. I'm not sure how long it'd keep if you put some in a jar and refridgerated it.
What's your favourite indulgent but non-sugary homemade treat?
A couple of times I've succumbed to the delights of crisps, but the high salt content isn't good for me, so I've had to knock that on the head.
So instead I made flapjacks. They don't look hugely enticing in this photo, but then hearty flapjacks aren't often things of beauty. But they are very more-ish and satisfy that sweet craving.
I didn't want to use a recipe with golden syrup or agave nectar in it as they're basically sugar in another form. So these flapjacks get their sweetness from dates and apple juice.
Note: you will need a food processor for this recipe. That's because the dates need to be thoroughly squished up into a paste in order for them to be sticky enough. You could try chopping them up with a knife, but I don't think you'd get that sticky consistency and your flapjacks would be too crumbly to eat easily.
Ingredients:
150g buttery spread (I reckon you could use a non-dairy spread if you're vegan)
150g soft dates
3 tablespoons of apple juice
30g hazelnuts (or other nuts and seeds, whatever's in your cupboard)
100g chopped apricots (or whatever you have. I used various dried berries and sultanas)
225g porridge oats
To make:
Whizz up the dates and apple juice in your food processor until they form a sticky paste. Gently melt your buttery spread in a saucepan. Add the date puree, then add the other ingredients. Once it's all thoroughly combined, tip it into a greased shallow baking tin (or silicon version) and press it down firmly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. (Sorry, can't tell you what temp to use. My oven's too erratic to tell. Use your judgement.)
Once they're done, leave the baking tray on a wire rack for 10 minutes or so, then slice the flapjacks up into nice sized chunks, and tuck in!
One other thing: the date and apple juice mixture looked like it could prove a nice alternative to a sugary jam to spread on toast. I'm not sure how long it'd keep if you put some in a jar and refridgerated it.
What's your favourite indulgent but non-sugary homemade treat?