Homemade Muesli Bars

  I've been missing my sweet treats over the past few weeks so I decided to make these healthy snack bars over the weekend which are full of fruit, nuts and seeds. They do contain honey and dried fruit which I'm supposed  to avoid (due to the concentrated sugar content) but as an occasional treat I think they will be ok. 
You need to make sure the ingredients are well combined and compacted into the tin to avoid the mixture  breaking up after cooking.

Ingredients

50g/2oz butter (I used low fat vegetable spread)

200ml/7fl oz honey

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

50g/2oz dessicated coconut (optional)

130g /5 1/2 oz nuts roughly chopped 

(I used cashew nuts & walnuts but you could also use pecans & flaked almonds)

250g/8oz rolled oats

130g/4oz mixed seeds (such as sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flaxseed)

100g/3 1/2oz dried apricots, chopped

75g/3oz dried cranberries


1. Preheat oven to 130oC/265F/Gas1.
2. Line the base of a 20cm  x 25cm baking tray and lightly grease.
3. Measure out all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Dried cranberries and apricots. 

Nuts and seeds. 

 Rolled porridge oats.

4. Place the butter and honey (and vanilla if using) into a saucepan  and gently heat until the honey is dissolved and the ingredients are combined.

Clear honey. 

5. Add the melted honey and butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

6. Press the mixture firmly into the tin using the back of a metal spoon.
7. Bake for 40 mins or until golden brown (mine took approx 50mins).

 
8. Set aside to cool before cutting into squares or bars.

If I was making these again I think I would omit the coconut as the flavour was quite strong. 
I have a few alternative recipes to try so I shall let you know how they turn out compared this one.
Thank you for all your lovely comments on my previous posts and I hope everyone has a lovely week.