Hazelnut-chocolate banana bread flapjacks for camping and a healthy gut

Camping treats

These hazelnut chocolate flapjacks are the perfect treat for a camping weekend, when a healthy, filling and tasty snack goes a long way to make you feel homely and comfortable. You also need energy when spending all your time outdoors. I have an interesting relationship with camping. On one hand, I feel like it’s incredibly important to do it (despite myself, I am immediately suspicious of people who say that they don't like it), to have some experience of living close to the earth and of what life is really like, without the luxuries we are so accustomed to. Once we get home after a camping weekend, I am usually dreaming of the next trip. At the same time, I am full of trepidation before we go. We once forgot our duvet, friends of ours forgot their tent. There's a lot to remember and a lot at stake if you get it wrong. It's quite exhausting, albeit in a healthy, wholesome way that makes you feel like you have achieved something and become a stronger person for it.

Flapjacks for the gut

I am studying for diploma in nutrition at the moment, which is expanding my perspective on the meaning of food. What started off as a box-ticking exercise is fast becoming an authentic interest. Studying nutrition has made me even more aware of gut health. I want the snacks I give my kids to support their guts and brains (all connected along the gut-brain axis). These hazelnut chocolate flapjacks go a long way to do just that. They are full of prebiotics: whole grains (all oats are whole grain and a great source of fibre of course), bananas (fibre, potassium, vitamins), hazelnuts (fibre, healthy fats) and pumpkin seeds (iron, zinc, magnesium). If you wash the flapjacks down with some kefir, you will be ace-ing gut health when eating them basically.

A recipe for hazelnut-chocolate banana bread flapjacks

Please note: My flapjack recipe is not terribly sweet, you may want to add more agave syrup or coconut sugar according to your tastes.

Ingredients

• 350g oats

• 50g hazelnuts

• 50g pumpkin seeds

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 50g salted butter

• 100ml coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

• 120ml agave syrup (perhaps more...)

• 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder or cacao.

Directions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

• Add the vanilla extract to the mashed banana and mix to combine.

• In a food processor, blitz the oats with the hazelnut and pumpkin seeds a few times to break them up.

• In a pan on the stove, melt the butter, then add the coconut oil, coconut sugar and agave syrup.

• Once the butter has melted, add the cocoa/cacao and stir with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer while stirring regularly. Allow to bubble for a moment, then turn the heat off.

• Add the mashed banana to the pan and stir to combine. Add the oaty mixture to the pan and stir well until everything is thoroughly combined.

• Line a baking dish with some greaseproof paper and grease with a bit of coconut oil.

• Place the mixture in here, spreading it out evenly and patting down with a wooden spoon.

• Bake for 20min, then remove from the oven and allow to cook for 20-30min before cutting into portions.