It's amazing how many people take their first step into the wholefoods world by moving from chocolate bars or muesli bars to nut bars or 'BeNatural' bars. They taste amazing and often serve as a quick and easy snack for work or road trips. For many years, I never looked at the ingredients in 'BeNatural' bars. I was under the impression that they were healthy because they were in the health food section but when I developed a sensitity to almonds and became food label queen, I quickly realised that they weren't quite as healthy as I was hoping. The ingredients in their nut bars are the following
Nuts (71%)(peanuts, almonds, walnuts), invert sugar, glucose, honey (3.5%), puffed rice (rice, sugar, salt, barley malt extract, vitamins [vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate], minerals [iron, zinc oxide]), humectant (sorbitol), emulsifier (soy lecithin).
I have been trying to figure out how they make these bars sticky but not too sticky for many many years. There's been loads of attempts and many fails but I am happy to say that I have finally nailed it. The secret to these bars is the honey mixture and ground linseeds. It's what works the magic and makes them taste just like the store bought ones. You MUST heat the honey mixture to 112 degrees celcius or soft ball temperate. If you have a thermomix, this step is super easy but if not, it's really not too hard either. The nut and fruit mixture can be changed as much as you like as long as you have 1 3/4 to 2 cups of nuts/seeds fruit ect. You can toast coconut flakes and add almonds and apricots for the almond and apricot version. You can just do seeds for a nut-free version. The possibilites are endless but just promise me, you will heat the honey!! Enjoy
Nuts (71%)(peanuts, almonds, walnuts), invert sugar, glucose, honey (3.5%), puffed rice (rice, sugar, salt, barley malt extract, vitamins [vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate], minerals [iron, zinc oxide]), humectant (sorbitol), emulsifier (soy lecithin).
I have been trying to figure out how they make these bars sticky but not too sticky for many many years. There's been loads of attempts and many fails but I am happy to say that I have finally nailed it. The secret to these bars is the honey mixture and ground linseeds. It's what works the magic and makes them taste just like the store bought ones. You MUST heat the honey mixture to 112 degrees celcius or soft ball temperate. If you have a thermomix, this step is super easy but if not, it's really not too hard either. The nut and fruit mixture can be changed as much as you like as long as you have 1 3/4 to 2 cups of nuts/seeds fruit ect. You can toast coconut flakes and add almonds and apricots for the almond and apricot version. You can just do seeds for a nut-free version. The possibilites are endless but just promise me, you will heat the honey!! Enjoy
Homemade and Healthified Be Natural bars
3/4 cup raw Macadamia nuts (whole or halves)
1/3 cup raw Walnuts
1/3 cup raw Pepita's (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup raw Sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped dates or sultana's
1 tablespoon ground linseeds (flaxmeal)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a rectangle loaf dish with baking paper. Place all of the seeds except the ground linseeds on a baking tray and cook for approx. 10 minutes or until the nuts start to go very slightly golden. To prepare the honey mixture, place the honey, vanilla and pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat until 120 degress celcius (or soft ball stage). *If you have a thermomix, place the honey mixture in the thermomix, set to varoma temperature , 6 minutes, speed 3. Immediately mix the nuts, dried fruit and ground linseeds into the honey mixture and pour into the lined loaf tin. Press mixture down gently to flatten. Place in the fridge for 30min-1hr or until cool. Use a serrated knife to cut into bars or squares
3/4 cup raw Macadamia nuts (whole or halves)
1/3 cup raw Walnuts
1/3 cup raw Pepita's (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup raw Sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped dates or sultana's
1 tablespoon ground linseeds (flaxmeal)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a rectangle loaf dish with baking paper. Place all of the seeds except the ground linseeds on a baking tray and cook for approx. 10 minutes or until the nuts start to go very slightly golden. To prepare the honey mixture, place the honey, vanilla and pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat until 120 degress celcius (or soft ball stage). *If you have a thermomix, place the honey mixture in the thermomix, set to varoma temperature , 6 minutes, speed 3. Immediately mix the nuts, dried fruit and ground linseeds into the honey mixture and pour into the lined loaf tin. Press mixture down gently to flatten. Place in the fridge for 30min-1hr or until cool. Use a serrated knife to cut into bars or squares
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