High Fibre Fruit & Nut Bars

I am always trying to formulate ways of adding more fibre to my diet. Dietary fibre prevents constipation and is excellent for weight loss as it makes you feel fuller. However, the benefits are far more significant than that alone. Did you know that high fibre diets reduce blood pressure and inflammation and may prevent colorectal cancer?

Adults need 30g of fibre a day. So I began selecting high-fibre ingredients to blend into a delicious fruit and nut bar.

I first made this recipe with 1/4 of a cup of dried fruit; some people told me it wasn’t sweet enough. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so it was perfect for me. I made a second batch with more fruit, which was better received by friends who eat sweets. On the other hand, I found it a little too sweet and will go back to using only a 1/4 of dried fruit. So you may want to play around with the amount of fruit you use (ingredient six). If you like sweetness, start with 1/2 a cup of fruit etc. You can always add a little honey for sweetness also.

Table of Contents

Fruit & Nut Bars

Ingredients

3/4 cup LSA*
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/4 cup cocoa or cacao
1/4 – 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, goji etc.)
2 Tbs psyllium
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup coconut milk
A little dark chocolate to melt to top the slices (optional).

Method

Add the first seven ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix them well.

Put the raisins and the coconut milk in a food processor and blend for a minute.

Mix the coconut and raisin into the dry ingredients until well blended.

Press into a tray, sprinkle with coconut and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Once it is firm, slice it into bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

Keep refrigerated.

*LSA is a ground mix of linseed, sunflower and almond.