My son loves weetbix and we often have bags of ‘leftovers’ stuffed in the pantry, ready to be turned into weetbix slice. This month I was a bit stumped, though. We were doing a ‘no sugar’ challenge and my usual recipe for the slice was packed full of the stuff. So, I challenged myself to come up with a recipe for a healthy weetbix slice, and this is it!
Weetbix by itself isn’t too bad on the sugar-front. In my son’s four weetbix serve, it’s got less than half a teaspoon of sugar in the actual cereal. It’s just all the junk the kid tends to load on the top that’s been the problem. Loads of brown sugar, or a gallon of maple syrup. Woah, buddy!
• This low-sugar slice is good too: Crispy date slice •
This month, to meet with the challenge, he’s been putting apple puree and a little bit of raw honey on instead. I think he likes it… he’s been fairly quiet, so I take that as a yes.
To match his diligence, I’ve created this healthy weetbix slice. It’s got no added refined sugar (I’ve used some honey for sweetness), and I ditched the icing to make it more sustaining muesli bar than throwaway treat.
Look, there’s still a ton of butter in this recipe, so if you’re afraid of fats, you might not think it’s a healthy slice at all. But I did swap wholemeal flour for refined, and I’ve added healthy-fat seeds to up the protein, micronutrients and satiation-factor. Ha, listen to me, I sound like a nutritionist!
I am not a nutritionist – but this healthy Weetbix slice tastes super yummy, so let’s go for it!
Healthy weetbix slice
Makes 30 bars
Takes 5 minutes
Bakes 20 minutes
• 6 weetbix biscuits – any brand will do
• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1 ½ cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 tablespoons maca powder (optional)
• 1 cup sultanas
• ½ cup pepitas
• ½ cup flaxseeds
• 250g packet of butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• ½ cup honey, plus extra to drizzle
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a roasting tray with baking paper, ready to go.
Crush the weetbix up until it’s fine, then stir through the coconut, flour, cocoa, and maca powder (if using).
Add the sultanas, pepitas and flaxseeds and mix thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, melt the butter, stir through the vanilla essence and ½ cup of honey and mix well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine well.
Spoon the mix into the prepared tray and press down firmly with the back of a large metal spoon. Pack it in well, then smooth the top and press down along the sides.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until just starting to turn golden.
Allow to cool in the pan, then refrigerate until completely firm.
Cut into bars to serve. Wrap bars in alfoil, ready to freeze and pop into the lunchbox when needed. They will keep in the freezer for around one month. They will also keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for about a week. If they last that long.
Notes
This is a big recipe, made for sharing and freezing. If you want to make less, halve the ingredients, use a smaller slice pan and bake for around 15 minutes.
Maca powder is made from the roots of the Peruvian maca plant. It’s anecdotal claimed to support immunity and hormonal health, regulate metabolism and increase energy (and libido, but that’s really not necessary for the lunchbox!!).
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are a good source of omega-3, zinc and magnesium.
Flaxseeds are a good source of protein, omega-3, fibre and B vitamins.
I love this stuff! Do you?