Monday, October 19, 2015

Breakfast Bars

"Monthly Featured Chef Event : Nigella Lawson", our new monthly theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I like this new theme where once a month, IHCC will revisit one of the past featured chefs, and this month's Monthly Featured Chef, is Nigella Lawson. 

I've made Nigella's Breakfast Bars, which I have been meaning to make for the longest time! These bars are really super easy to make, but the baking takes about an hour, which is not a problem anyway!


 Breakfast Bars.... it's an Anytime-for-Snacking Bars for me!


 About to go into the oven.

Condensed milk is first warmed over a low heat, then mix with all the other ingredients ; rolled oats, flaked coconut, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, lightly toasted peanuts. Tip everything into the prepared pan, press down firmly, level it and bake for about an hour at 250F until golden brown. The only sweetener here is the condensed milk, and the sweetness turns out to be just right for me, not too sweet. The baking pan is greased with oil or simply use a disaposable baking foil pan. If you chose to use a normal baking pan, I would advise about greasing it really well with oil. The bars are a little difficult to come out of the pan. Some parts would stick to the pan, but with a little gentle force using the metal spatula, I did manage to take them all out.



These bars are yummy! Chewy, crunchy, and smells pretty good with the flaked coconuts. These are great anytime of the day, and it acually tasted nicer on the next day, but it gets more chewier. Best eaten in small bites! Take a big bite and you would be busy with "jaw-ercise"! LOL! Don't ask me how I knew!  :) 


Breakfast Bars
(adapted from "Nigella Express", Nigella Lawson)
1 (14-fl-oz) can condensed milk
2-1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)
1 cup natural unsalted peanuts

  1. Preheat the oven to 250F and oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or just use a disposable aluminium foil one.
  2. Warm the condensed milk in a large pan.
  3. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients together and add the warmed condensed milk, using a rubber spatula to fold and distribute.
  4. Spread the mixture into the oiled or foil pan and press down with a spatula or, better still, your hands (wearing those disposable latex gloves to stop you from sticking) to make the surface even.
  5. Bake for 1 hour, remove, and after about 15 minutes, cut into four across and four down to make 16 chunky bars. Let cool completely.


I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,
Monthly Featured Chef Event : Nigella Lawson


and
Little Thumbs Up (October 2015 : Coconut) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jess from Bakericious.
littlethumbups1-1
This post is linked to the event 


and 
Cook-Your-Books

14 comments:

  1. So seedy and packed full of nutrients..I love those breakfast bars.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Joyce,
    These crunchy chewy breakfast bars look so yummy ! Hee .. hee... guess needs to be gracious in chewing these bars in small bites.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looks so good! I gotta make for my breakfast too! Hehe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love bars like these--especially when they are full of seeds and coconut flakes. So perfect for the morning or a quick snack during the day. Great Nigella pick! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. These breakfast bars are so much fun. I remember making these awhile back and me and the kids devoured them. I like that you can change them up and add in different ingredients depending on what you have. A healthy little treat for sure:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now these would be great for taking to work this week. I always want a snack mid morning.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Joyce! This makes a wonderful snacks in office. Healthy and yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yum, yum, yum. I love bars like this for snacking on any time of day, but I do also love that with those seeds, nuts and fruits, they pack enough nutrients you feel like you've had a halfway decent breakfast if you happen to just grab one of these on the run. These are definitely right up my alley.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow!! These breakfast bars look good especially if you are on the go. Nice one, Joyce!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Joyce, I don't mind having these yummy bars for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have a can of condensed milk in the fridge. Now I know what to do with it. Good recipe. Thanks for bring us this easy and healthy bar.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have all these ingredients in the pantry and I really need something quick for the mornings. Or afternoons. Or evenings.

    ReplyDelete