Pears and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven, as are pears and oats. So these little lunchbox treats are onto a winner! If your pears are really ripe, you can also get away with leaving out the sweetener, as the pear juice, a whisper of dark chocolate and a generous shake of cinnamon will be just enough to curb those cravings.
Packed with fibre and energy building B vitamins, these Pear, Oat and Dark Chocolate Lunchbox Treats are a great option for your kids to get them from breakfast to lunch, and they are nut free too (although you can add some of your favourite nuts for the batch that stays at home!).
Pears also provide three types of flavonoids that have been found to have a positive impact on insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. Pears are easy to digest and easier on sensitive tummies and contains a great range of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Allergens:
Lactose Free | Gluten free | Vegetarian | Nut Free | Vegan Friendly | Dairy Free | Low Salicylate Options | Amine Friendly
Recipe:
Family friendly | Dessert | Freezable | Snack | Sweet Treat
Preparations time: 10mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Serves: 9
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp honey/rice malt syrup/maple syrup
- 2 pears, grated
- 1 ½ cups oats
- ½ cup mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia, black and white sesame, etc)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup roughly chopped dark chocolate pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C, and line a baking tin with baking paper.
- In a saucepan over low heat, warm the oil and stir through the honey.
- Add the grated pear to the saucepan and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oats, seeds, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, and mix well.
- Add the oat mix to the saucepan with the oil and honey and mix through.
- Stir through the chopped chocolate (or leave aside to melt and drizzle over the top of the cooked and cooled bars).
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baking tin and press down lightly to fill the tin.
- Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden.
- If you have reserved the chocolate to drizzle, gently melt the chocolate with 1 tsp coconut oil over low heat until just melted. Drizzle over cooled bars prior to cutting.
- Once cooled, cut into 9 portions. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or separate each portion with baking paper and store in the freezer until needed.
Variations & Substitutions
Swap the pears for grated apples, carrots, zucchini (add a 1-2 tsp sweetener such as maple/rice malt syrup or honey if desired), mashed bananas, stewed rhubarb or some frozen berries.
If these squares are for home and there are no nut allergies or sensitivities, swap some or all of the seeds for some chopped nuts such as almonds, macadamias or hazelnuts.
Mix through a tablespoon of beetroot powder or grated beetroot for a pink twist, or some vital greens powder for a green hue. These natural colours will add a bit of fun, and an antioxidant boost without ruining the flavour.
For a low salicylate version, ensure the pears are peeled before grating. Use a good quality butter (organic, grass fed) in place of the coconut oil (no longer vegan), omit the cinnamon, vanilla and seeds. If you are not using for school lunches, replace the seeds with nuts such as hazelnuts. Sweeten with maple syrup if desired.
For a low amine version, use a good quality butter in place of the coconut oil (no longer vegan), replace ½ cup seeds with 2 tbsp chia seeds. Omit the cinnamon.