RECIPE: All-natural awesome energy bars

I didn't mean to make these. But boy, am I glad I did.

I was looking around the pantry shelves thinking I'd make some sort of no-bake energy balls. But then I just made it up as I went along and created these babies.

Mmmmmmmm.

They're like the healthiest chocolate-topped flapjacks you could ever imagine.

But never mind that, they're so damn tasty!

They're squidgy and crunchy and there are so many different textures going on. You get a different sensation with every bite.

Sweet from the agave and slightly salty from the nut butter, with a chocolatey topping that makes them taste indulgent.

You know how sea-salted dark chocolate is all the rage these days? Well you get that gorgeous flavour with these bars.

Get this. These energy bars are:

• Vegan
• Wheat-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Dairy-free
• All-natural

In an effort to stick to my new alkaline lifestyle I've been trying to replace peanut butter with other nut butters. They're jolly tasty, but haven't quite taken the place of PB in my heart yet. I like Meridian as they're literally just nuts. 100%.

So, in these bars I used all three nut butters but by all means use whatever you have.

I also used these cacao drops for the topping (which I found in Waitrose):

These bars are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up: they're energising but will also cure your sugar craving.

I LOVE them, and they'll leave you feeling fantastic.

Couldn't resist one before the cacao had set

This makes 12 bars. Feel free to switch up the dried fruits, seeds and nut butters you use!

Ingredients

1 cup oats (I used a small mug)

1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped into quarters

1/3 cup raisins

1 tbsp each peanut butter, almond butter and crunchy cashew butter (or 3 tbsp of one!)

1/2 cup mixed seeds

4 tbsp Sweet Freedom, agave syrup, or honey

1 small mashed ripe banana, or half a big one

2 tbsp cacao drops, or use plain dark chocolate

1 tbsp flaked almonds, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 20x20cm square tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly combined. Spoon into your baking tin, spread out evenly and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until just turning golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

3. While it's cooling, melt your cacao/chocolate, either in the microwave or in a bowl over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. Pour and spread the melted cacao drops over the energy bars and sprinkle flaked almonds on top before leaving to cool.

4. Before it's fully set, slice into squares. Keep in a tin and enjoy the guilt-free goodness.