Spiced pumpkin granola bars

Sarah Wilson's Pumpkin Granola Bars

Boost your snack situation with this pumpkin granola bar recipe from Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar For Life book. Sweet.

Spiced Pumpkin Granola Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and pepitas (preferably activated), roughly chopped
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut flakes
6tbs coconut oil (or butter, or a mixture of both)
3/4 cup rice malt syrup
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
5tbsp of chia seeds

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 20-cm baking tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the nuts, oats and coconut flakes. (You can also add ½ cup vanilla protein powder if you want to pump up the protein power.)
In a saucepan, melt the oil or butter, syrup, pumpkin purée and spices. Add the chia seeds and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Remove from the heat and stir through the nut and oat mixture until well combined, then continue mixing for another minute to help the ingredients bind.
Press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing into bars.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks.

After a paleo alternative? Replace oats with puffed quinoa or puffed rice.

More: 10 healthy-eating myths busted

Sarah is part of a new initiative called What Should I Eat? involving a series of open health and food debates in different cities this July. Check out whatshouldieat.com.au for tickets and info.