Power-Up Bars
I made these for the first time on the day of the first virtual London marathon, which my brother was running. Running is a hobby I've shared with him since he first got me to attend parkrun years ago. Since then, we've tried countless parkruns around the country, the most challenging being at Lanhydrock in Cornwall. After an initial downhill sprint, the only way is up...and up....and up... I've never seen so many people walking the parkrun course! Thankfully my brother ran back to find me when he had finished, bringing me a bottle of water and running the last kilometre with me. I'll never rival his time but, regardless of our vastly different PBs, we both benefit from these energy bars which are good pre- or post-run fuel. The flax seeds are also a great source of Omega 3. I use agave nectar as an alternative to golden syrup; it's absorbed more slowly into the blood stream, so it won't result in a sudden blood sugar spike.
I've named these bars after Super Mario power-ups: a boy at our local parkrun often stands at the sidelines with a sign that says, 'Push for Power-Up': everyone taps the cardboard as they run by and it really works - everyone runs off smiling, suddenly energised and able to tackle the next leg of the course.
The bars are really quick to make: melt, stir and squash! They're great for lunchboxes, picnics and, even, gifts.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat with the sugar and nectar.
I made these for the first time on the day of the first virtual London marathon, which my brother was running. Running is a hobby I've shared with him since he first got me to attend parkrun years ago. Since then, we've tried countless parkruns around the country, the most challenging being at Lanhydrock in Cornwall. After an initial downhill sprint, the only way is up...and up....and up... I've never seen so many people walking the parkrun course! Thankfully my brother ran back to find me when he had finished, bringing me a bottle of water and running the last kilometre with me. I'll never rival his time but, regardless of our vastly different PBs, we both benefit from these energy bars which are good pre- or post-run fuel. The flax seeds are also a great source of Omega 3. I use agave nectar as an alternative to golden syrup; it's absorbed more slowly into the blood stream, so it won't result in a sudden blood sugar spike.
I've named these bars after Super Mario power-ups: a boy at our local parkrun often stands at the sidelines with a sign that says, 'Push for Power-Up': everyone taps the cardboard as they run by and it really works - everyone runs off smiling, suddenly energised and able to tackle the next leg of the course.
The bars are really quick to make: melt, stir and squash! They're great for lunchboxes, picnics and, even, gifts.
Ingredients
- 120g butter
- 100g demerara sugar
- 40g agave nectar
- 200g oats
- 20g dried goji berries
- 20g dried Incan berries
- 20g dried white mulberries
- 25g flax seeds, blitzed in a food processor
- 25g cacao nibs, blitzed in a food processor
Equipment
- Square tin, approximately 20cm x 20cm, lined and sides greased
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat with the sugar and nectar.
2. Mix in the oats, followed by the dried fruits (chopped into slightly smaller pieces), followed by the flax seeds and cacao nibs.
3. Press into a lined and greased tin, using the back of a dessert spoon to compress the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling tray and immediately cut into 9 pieces but leave it in the tin to cool fully before attempting to remove the slices.