Low-sugar banana and date flapjacks recipe

Low-sugar banana and date flapjacks swap refined sugar for fruit, making them a much healthier option. These fruity flapjacks are the perfect snack for your little one. Make them as an after school treat or a lunch box filler, or even for breakfast. There's no chance of children missing the refined sugar as the banana and dates will provide a natural sweetness, but also make them count towards the recommended 5-a-day. This recipe makes 10 flapjacks and takes around 30 mins to prepare and bake.

Ingredients

• 85g dates, pitted
• 1 banana, roughly chopped
• 50g melted butter
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 225g oats
• 2tsp ground ginger or cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4. Lightly grease a 7 inch x 7 inch square tin.
2. Place the dates into a small bowl and pour over 85ml boiling water. Leave the dates to soak for about 10 minutes.
3. Place the dates and water into a food processor, along with the banana, melted butter and bicarbonate of soda. Process until smooth.
4. Weigh the oats and ground ginger or cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and add the processed date and banana mixture. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the greased baking tin.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins or until a very light golden brown.
6. Leave to cool in the tin and then slice into bars. These flapjacks will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.