Name: Apple & Carrot Snack Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cup (225 g) rolled oats; 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped; 2 medium ripe bananas; 1 1/3 cup (140 g) shredded carrot; 1/4 cup (40 g) hemp hearts; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple & Carrot Snack Bars

By: Simone Ward, excerpted from Feeding Toddlers

Apple Carrot Snack Bars

By: Simone Ward, excerpted from Feeding Toddlers

Kids tend to love oat bars, and this recipe ticks all the boxes for a toddler-friendly, tasty and nutritious snack. The bars come together quickly and easily, and they are naturally sweetened with banana and apple, without any added sugars at all! You can add a splash of maple syrup or honey if you fancy, but your toddler won’t notice if you don't. The best thing about these bars is the texture—they are soft and easy to eat, which is a huge plus if your little one is teething, but they are not mushy or crumbly, which means less mess! This recipe makes a big batch, so be sure to freeze half for quick and easy snacks as needed.

Makes16 mini bars

Preparation Time10 min

Cooking Time - Text20 to 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (225 g) rolled oats
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
2 medium ripe bananas
1 1/3 cup (140 g) shredded carrot
1/4 cup (40 g) hemp hearts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4, fan 160°C) and line a 9 x 9–inch (23 x 23–cm) baking tray with parchment paper, ensuring some of the paper is draping over two sides of the tray.
Add the oats to a food processor and blend on high until the oats break down to a flour consistency. Transfer the blended oats to a large bowl and set aside.
Add the chopped apples and bananas to the same food processor and blend on high until you get a puree consistency. Add the puree to the bowl of blended oats, along with the shredded carrot, hemp hearts and cinnamon, and mix until combined.
Transfer the mixture to the lined baking tray and smooth it out with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bouncy to the touch. Allow to cool slightly before lifting it out of the baking tray to finish cooling on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, cut into mini bars and serve.

STORAGE

Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the bars in the refrigerator or at room temperature, or alternatively in the microwave on the high setting for 20-second intervals until thawed. The frozen bars can also be packed in a lunchbox, and they will thaw in 1 to 2 hours.