Saturday 19 September 2015

No bake chocolate oat slice

The School Holidays started today.  We are all tired and in need of a break.  Or in lieu of a break, at least an easy recipe to pep us up!  I found this no bake chocolate oat recipe on Pinterest.  It was simple, delicious and slightly healthy.

I loved how quick it was to put together, even given that I made my own oatmeal out of rolled oats using my blender, and then blended up some almonds to make almond butter.  (The original recipe was peanut butter and I think other nut butters would work well too.  I suspect this might also work with coconut oil and coconut sugar in the oat layer.) 

I really loved the toffee flavours in the oat layer compared to the thick creamy barely sweet chocolate layer.  My only quibble was that the oat layer was really buttery and I would try it with a little less butter next time.

Soon after making it, a neighbour visited for a chat.  It was still setting, not quite keeping its shape but just firm enough to cut into pieces.  We took some onto the verandah with a cuppa, chatted for a bit and then helped ourselves to just a little more.  It was so good.  Sylvia and E agreed when they got home.  They were delighted too.   I think it might be a new favourite slice.

I am sending the slice to Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer for Treat Petite, and to Kimmy for Healthy Vegan Fridays.

More oaty vegan slices on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Chocolate and ginger flapjacks
Chocolate lime energy slice 
Glo Bars 
Porridgies
Pumpkin muesli slice
Raspberry oat slice
Tahini muesli bars 

No bake chocolate oat slice
Adapted from all recipes

230g margarine (or butter)*
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 2/3 cups oatmeal
1/3 cups hemp seeds (or more oats)
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

190g dark chocolate (I used 67%)
1/2 cup almond butter (or other nut butter)

Line a 22cm square tin with baking paper.  Melt margarine in a medium saucepan.  (*I think there was a lot of butter and would try 200g next time.)  Stir in brown sugar then oatmeal, hemp seeds, vanilla and salt.  Tip about half of it into the prepared tin and press evenly and firmly across the tin.  Gently melt chocolate and nut butter in a small saucepan (I used a steamer to keep saucepan from touching the burner).  Spread evenly across the oat mixture in the tin.  Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate mixture to cover it as much as possible.  Press down gently.  Set in the fridge for a few hours.  Cut into squares.  Keep in the fridge.

On the Stereo:
1989: Taylor Swift

28 comments:

  1. Oh Johanna, you have got me all greedy for these. The photograph is just stunning, I know what you mean about the butter being a bit heavy with the oats, so appreciate that feedback. I am still not sure about hemps, still deciding.

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    1. Thanks Shaheen - the hemp seeds are not necessary but I love adding seeds to this sort of thing - glad you like the photo - I got some old fabrics from a friend who is into sewing - I think it is an old cushion cover

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  2. I love no bake slices, and that chocolate layer looks amazing! I love that you used hemp seeds too (great to see another Aussie breaking the law and consuming hemp seeds ;) ).

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    1. Thanks Kyra - the chocolate layer is amazing - and yes I love hemp seeds - of course if an officer of the law asked I might say this is a special bar to smear over my face as I hear hemp seeds are good for the skin :-)

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  3. Yum! This looks delish. Lucky neighbour.

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    1. Thanks Cakelaw - she did me some darning in return - I think we both did well :-)

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  4. Anything with the phrase 'no bake' and 'dark chocolate' in the same recipe immediately calls out to me. With a cuppa and a bit of this, I'd be a very happy neighbour too!

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    1. Thanks Joey - I have to say I see a lot of no bake and chocolate recipes but this is really one of the best I have seen for being rich without being full of stuff I don't like. If only you lived close by you would be welcome to share a cuppa and a piece of slice on the verandah :-)

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  5. oats, no bake, chocolate, slice... winning combo of words right there!

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    1. Thanks Faye - indeed - actually it didn't take me long after seeing this to make it (unlike most in my huge list of bookmarks)

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  6. This sounds delicious Johanna. It also gives me an excuse to get more hemp seeds - I haven't bought any since we moved (so, 15 months now...!) and was thinking recently I missed them.

    I also smiled at you grinding your oats and making your own almond butter, despite starting with a comment on school holidays being busy. Food blogger sign :-)

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    1. Thanks Kari - and I guess you can buy them legally in the UK. And thanks for pointing out the irony of me making my own oatmeal and almond butter in a quick recipe - it is partly my way of trying to keep my pantry in check - and it is pretty easy with my froothie blender

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  7. Wow that looks easy and like it tastes great too! :D I'm a big fan of no bake items.

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - once the hot weather comes I love no bake because it is all I can bear to do - so this could be popular this summer

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  8. Ooh - these sound delicious and easy. I am a bit obsessed with hemp seeds, so I love adding them to everything I can, have not used them in something like this yet....a good reason to try.

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    1. Thanks Caeli - I often add hemp seeds to muesli so adding it to oats seemed fine - I did freak out when I saw green specks in the photos until I realised it was hemp seeds

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  9. Sounds lovely. I wonder whether coconut oil would work but I have some vegan butter tucked away that likely would be perfect. :)

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    1. Thanks Janet - I think coconut oil would work but I did love the butteriness of it even with the vegan margarine

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  10. That looks so good, especially the thick chocolaty layer in the middle!

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    1. Thanks Corina - I could have just eaten the chocolate layer but then I felt a bit healthier with the oat layers (if I didn't think too much about all the butter) and the brown sugar made them feel quite toffee flavoured

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  11. Chocolate and oats - there is nothing better together! Thanks for taking part in Treat Petite!

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    1. Thanks Stuart - one of my favourite combinations

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  12. Oooh these look so good! It reminds me of a fig bar, but with chocolate instead of figs - which in my opinion is a better swap. Always chocolate ;p

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    1. Thanks Kimmy - I guess it is a bit like a raw fig bar - am sure there are lots of possibilities here (fig and chocolate filling?) but I was drawn in by the chocolate

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    2. Chocolate is always a big draw haha ;p
      Thanks for sharing this at Healthy Vegan Fridays! I'm pinning this =)

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  13. No bake slices are great aren't they? And oats and chocolate go so well together. Oats always add a wholesome element but I love the healthy twist on the other ingredients in here. Yet it looks so rich and naughty! Yum xx

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