The kids are back at school after the holidays, so it is time to get back into lunch box baking. This is the ninth in my Muesli Bar Challenge series.
For those of you who are new to the site, the Challenge is about my bet that it is possible to make lunch box treats that fit the Witches Kitchen definition of healthy and ethical, and that my school age reviewers prefer to the overpackaged junk food marketed as suitable for kids’ lunch boxes. They also have to be be able to compete with supermarket muesli bars in terms of quick and easy, and in terms of cost.
The reviewers come from four different, very normal families and range from kindergarden to high school ages.
This week’s Challenger uses pecans and apple (both in season) and a secret ingredient – beetroot. Beets are a super food, rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, and a specially rich source of folic acid, which is important for whole range of functions. Chocolate is also a good source of anti-oxidants and actually good for you in a healthy recipe!
The Recipe
I used a 23cm round cake pan for this recipe, but it would probably slice up more neatly in a square pan. Grease and line the pan with greaseproof paper. Turn the oven on to heat up.
Sift together 1 cup of wholemeal self-raising flour, half a cup of cocoa powder, and one teaspoon of baking powder.
Mix in half a cup of dark brown sugar, half a cup of chopped pecans, and a quarter of a cup of choc chips.
Add a cup of grated raw beetroot and one large granny smith apple also grated.
In another bowl, blend together three eggs, half a cup (150 ml) mild flavoured oil, (I like to use grapeseed oil), and a teaspoon of vanilla. Add to the other bowl and stir together to combine.
Turn out into the paper-lined cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or so in a moderate oven, till a skewer comes out clean.
This looks great – I am totally going to try it.
I usually use macadamia oil in dessert/sweet recipes that want oil – particularly ones with chocolate – as it adds a lovely nutty flavour that goes really well with chocolate. It’s also a really healthy oil – mostly mono-unsaturated and with a very high smoke point.
great lindy 9.5/10
I liked it lots. It was not my favourite of all so far, but i liked it. It was yummy and it wasn’t too sweet
I loved it. Not to sweet so I could eat lots. It looked like chocolate cake. Who would have thought there was beetroot hiding it there.
Thankyou for such a scrumptious recipe. My two little ones and I made these brownies this afternoon in preparation for the school week. We couldn’t resist having one each for dessert with cream. Yum. Thankfully still enough left for recess and morning tea for littlie.