Chocolate Crunch Oat Bars

If you've ever had cornflake cakes, then you'll know how amazing the sweet, tangy chocolate goes with the crunch of the cornflakes, creating a delicious, moreish treat. This next recipe takes inspiration from cornflake cakes, but with a more complex, indulgent flavour, incorporating delicious ingredients that are nourishing and have that satisfying crunch, too.

Deliciously rich, chocolate oat bars with crunchy toasted buckwheat, coconut flakes and a pinch of salt. They're sweet, indulgent and chocolatey, but not too sickly - did I mention kinda healthy too? Oh, and they don't require any baking, just a couple of hours to set up in the fridge, so they couldn't be any easier!

I absolutely love toasted buckwheat, an ingredient I first discovered in Ljubljana and have been enjoying ever since - simply add the buckwheat groats (hulled buckwheat) to a dry pan and heat until toasted, moving around often. I also use toasted buckwheat in my granola recipe, it's super crunchy and has a nutty flavour that really complements the chocolate and coconut flavours in these bars. It's a great source of protein, as well as fibre - something as a population we all need to eat more of! Buckwheat is super high in magnesium which is important for our muscle and nerve function, as well as healthy bones and blood sugar regulation. Buckwheat also contains some potassium - needed for fluid balance and regulating our muscle contractions and nerves, as well as iron, essential for red blood cell formation. 

A big focus of food and nutrition in recent years has been what food is giving you, rather than just what's been taken out of it e.g. talking about high fibre rather than low fat - highlighting the benefits it gives you. I'm a big believer in this; healthy, balanced diets definitely shouldn't be about cutting out any forms of sugar or fat, but ensuring you give yourself lots of nourishment and that's exactly what this recipe does. It tastes incredible - largely thanks to the coconut oil and maple syrup - but it also has ingredients packed with goodness that will nourish your body. Adding protein, fats and fibre to sweet foods also helps to reduce blood sugar spikes - oats are fantastic for this final reason - the fibre acts as a form of slow-release energy, meaning this delicious treat is also likely to keep you fuller for longer and more satisfied. I'm also not saying here to never eat cake, which is delicious after all, but this recipe is more suitable for an everyday sweet treat, rather than just special occasions.

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Chocolate Crunch Oat Bars | Yield: 9-12 bars | Prep time: 15 mins | Chilling time: 2-3 hours

You'll need

• 8x8" brownie tin
• Greaseproof paper
• Frying pan
• Large saucepan
• Spatula
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Chopping board
• Knife

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup buckwheat groats (shelled buckwheat)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup molasses (black treacle)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup whole flaxseed
• 2 cups porridge oats 
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes
• 1/4 tsp flaky salt (1/8 tsp ground salt)

Method

1. Line a brownie tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Toast the buckwheat by adding it to the frying pan on a medium heat. Keep moving it around the pan until it turns golden brown and smells toasty, this should take a few minutes. Then place to one side.
3. In a saucepan, add the maple syrup, molasses, coconut oil and cocoa powder and gently heat and stir until melted together. Add the toasted buckwheat, flaxseed, oats, coconut flakes and salt and mix together until everything is fully coated in the chocolate mixture. 
4. Then transfer the mixture to the lined tin, spread out evenly and flatten out with the spatula and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until completely set. 
5. Remove from the greaseproof paper and cut into 9-12 pieces (I'd recommend cutting into 12 as they are quite rich). Store any remaining bars in tupperware in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (if they last that long!) and enjoy!

Cassidy xx