‘Tis the season of life where quick, tasty and nourishing is the top criteria for a satisfying snack. These muesli bars hit all three: packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals, check! Easy to grab from a container, check! So good, I might just have another one, check! Perfect for little one’s lunchboxes or as a side snack with a warm cuppa, these carrot-speckled, chocolatey, nutty, muesli bars are ones you’ll want to make again and again.

Enjoy xx

Low Salicylate Muesli Bars

Adapted from the Inquiring Chef

Makes 15 (depending on how large or small you like your bars)

Equipment

• Cutting board and knife
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Square cake tin

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup puffed rice cereal

2/3 cup carrot (grated)*

1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashews (roughly chopped)**

100 grams dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

3 egg whites

76 grams unsalted butter (melted)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

Method

1.) Preheat fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line baking a 20m square cake tin with baking paper

2.) In a large bowl combine oats, puffed rice, grated carrot, cashews and dark chocolate. Add in egg whites and stir.

3.) In a small bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt and whisk together until combined

4.) Pour liquid mixture over dry mixture and stir until evenly combined

5.) Pour and spread out mixture evenly into the prepared baking tray. Using a piece of baking paper, press down firmly so the mixture is packed tightly and flat.

6.) Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. When ready, remove from oven and cool completely before slicing into small bars

7.) Bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

*Carrots are listed in the RPAH handbook as moderate in salicylates, something to be mindful of if you’re very sensitive or looking to limit your chemical load. Kęszycka et al. 2017 however list carrot as low, so I’ve included them here. Just be mindful when trying the recipe for the first time.

**While cashews have historically tested low for salicylates, more recent tests (Malaker et al. 2017) which retested with free and bound salicylates found cashews to be in the high category. Most people tolerate cashews well, while others may be prone to a reaction, in which case, omit cashews in future if you do find you experience any adverse effects.