Monday, November 30, 2015

Yoghurt and goji berry baked oat bars

Sometimes I imagine a dish, make it, and it matches my imagination exactly. Other times, I imagine a dish, make it, and it is nothing like what I expected to make. These oat bars are somewhere in between. When hot, they were too soft and crumbly and I was disappointed not to have achieved the texture I wanted. When allowed to chill in the fridge, they firmed up beautifully and came into their own. A lesson in patience - and trusting ingredients even if initial impressions aren't quite right!


The bars feature oats, puffed cereal, yoghurt, goji berries, coconut oil, rice syrup and vanilla. You can taste each of the flavours and they come together harmoniously. It is the coconut oil that allows for the firm texture when chilled. I used soya almond yoghurt, but coconut yoghurt might be a nice way of continuing the coconut theme.

I can only describe the chilled texture as a cross between baked oat bars and raw no-bake slices. If that sounds odd, it wasn't. I found it very pleasing and a nice way to enjoy a bit of both styles of slice.



Yoghurt and goji berry oat bars
Breakfast worthy oat and cereal bars that taste of coconut, yoghurt and goji berries
Makes 8 bars
Vegan

Author: Bite-sized thoughts


Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup rice syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cups puffed cereal (I used puffed wheat)
1/3 - 1/2 cup goji berries
1/2 cup non-dairy yoghurt of choice (I used almond soy)

Method
Preheat your oven to 175'C (350'F) and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

In a small saucepan or microwave proof bowl, warm the coconut oil, rice syrup and vanilla until the oil is melted.

Meanwhile, combine the oats, puffed cereal and goji berries in a mixing bowl. Add the yoghurt and stir through. When ready, add the melted oil mixture and stir through.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared loaf tin and press to distribute evenly.

Bake for approximately 18 minutes. Allow to cool fully in the tin before removing and slicing.

Store in the fridge, and serve chilled.

Have you had any made up recipe wins (or losses!) lately?

17 comments:

  1. These sound really good. I generallly don't make up my own recipes, so no wins or losses there.

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    Replies
    1. I think that serves you well for following recipes properly, rather than deviating off as I am prone to do :P

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  2. My oat bars always come out really really solid, but I don't mind too much - I just need a cuppa on hand to make it more moist. Now I know I need to put some syrup in there for added crumbliness. And next time, more goji berries!

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    Replies
    1. Anything that needs a cup of tea to round it out is my sort of slice :-)

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  3. Sometimes it is hard to know what is a recipe win or loss? I made haggis on the weekend and it was a win in flavour but a loss in presentation - and it is all about expectation isn't it. I am glad those bars were what you wanted in the end - and it is better for them to deliver when cooled rather than when warm as I am sure you would not have wanted to eat them all when warm and it would have been disappointing if you loved them warm and then they cooled and were disappointing.

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    1. You're spot on - as it was, I was only disappointed to have eaten some of the slice warm, but grateful I didn't have too much in that less-than-ideal format!

      I would take a dish that tastes good over one that looks good, so your haggis sounds like success to me.

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  4. These are full of ingredients that I love - they sound delicious. I'm curious... was it a soy flavoured almond yoghurt or an almond flavoured soy yoghurt? Either option sounds yummy but enquiring minds and all... :)

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    1. Haha, it is a hybrid yoghurt - soya milk and almond milk :-) They also have a soya coconut one. The soya is more dominant (the proportion of almond milk is small) but I still like it a lot more than regular soy yoghurt.

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  5. I think as long as a recipe is edible, it is a win, but not something I will always share on the blog haha. Although, some of my best recipes are ones that didn't come out the way I thought they would.

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  6. You're very good at creating recipes. I like the idea of continuing the coconut theme by using coconut yoghurt. It's interesting how when the coconut oil hardens it changes the texture of the bars xx

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    Replies
    1. Coconut oil is magical that way :-) Thanks Charlie xo

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  7. Well. it worked and that is all that counts in the long run. You use such wholesome wonderful ingredients. Not to self. Be more like Kari

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    Replies
    1. Your dishes are wonderful Tania, so I think you're doing fine being just like yourself :-)

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  8. "Other times, I imagine a dish, make it, and it is nothing like what I expected to make."
    This happens to me more often than not ;p
    I really like that you used puffed cereal - I love using it and never find enough things to really use it in =) The same goes for gogi berries. This just sounds super delicious!

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  9. 3 Studies PROVE How Coconut Oil Kills Belly Fat.

    This means that you literally get rid of fat by consuming coconut fat (also coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).

    These 3 researches from big medicinal journals are sure to turn the conventional nutrition world upside down!

    ReplyDelete

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