Christmas Trail bars with a Healthy Twist

  • Ali

I was sharing my top tips on blogging with a group of women from a business network a couple of years ago and mentioned that I was waiting for my favourite brands (Sweaty Betty, Whitworths, Lucy Bee,  etc) to get in touch and ask me to blog for them. Completely out of the blue Whitworths messaged me to ask if I’d like to be one of their Christmas Contributors. Would I ever! 

 

Not only did I get showered with healthy treats courtesy of this 130 year old brand, but I got to create this delicious Christmas Trail bar too. Special thanks to my daughter for naming it – she says it’s like the trail mix that we always have on our Boxing Day Walk but even better as it’s stuck together with chocolate! Well it is Christmas!

I’ve made a special batch of these for the MIBA girls as they are such an inspiration. I love how women are the lifeforce of small business in the UK and are often juggling building their businesses around children, partners and running the house. I’ve worked for myself for 20 years and while I would be the first to accept I’m unemployable (and wouldn’t want it any other way) I know how tough it can be. 

Enjoy

Ingredients

160g coconut oil, melted and cooled

200g Whitworths Choppe dates

80g Whitworths Pumpkin Seeds

200g chopped mixed nuts – choose what you love

20g puffed rice or quinoa

70g Whitworths Traditional Mixed  Fruit

20g Whitworths Little Jewel Cranberries

30g Whitworths Desiccated Coconut

40g Pistachios – keep these separate from the chopped nuts

60g Carob powder

2 tablespoons Cocoa powder

Directions

  1. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper (I used an 11"x7" tin).
  2. Add coconut oil, carob, cocoa and dates to a food processor and blend until it forms a sticky dough. You may need to keep scraping down the sides as you go along.
  3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 
  4. Scoop the date mixture into the mixing bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir through all other ingredients using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
  5. Transfer to the baking tray and press mixture firmly into the tin. You may want to use wet fingers or the back of a spoon to push everything down really well. I like to add another piece of greaseproof paper to the top and use a glass to roll it flat! My rolling pin is too big to fit in the tin! 
  6. Place in the fridge to set for at least an hour. Slice into bars and enjoy! 

It will keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks or two months in the freezer so now’s the perfect time to make it in readiness for that Boxing day walk!

WARNING: It is very moreish so you may want to make a double batch if you’re expecting there to be some left in the fridge by Boxing Day!!!

#Whitworths #sharethelove