Veganuary with Indigo Herbs | Apricot & Mango Flapjack

The month of January can be a good time to think about getting focused on the things that you want to improve upon over the coming year, as well as making goals or resolutions for going forward. This time last year was the first time that I took part in ‘Veganuary,’ a months dedicated to only eating vegan food (and vegan products too if you’re able). But for me, it was all about the food and wanted to alkaline my body by eating natural and plant-based foods and give my health a boost. From there I didn’t look back and have not eaten anything with a face since.

As a result, I thought I would give it another go, to try and cut out eggs and dairy. Eggs I rarely eat anyway, and for health reasons I shouldn’t eat dairy, but I have found it hard to cut out of my diet completely. It is hard, especially preparing food for a family that don’t want to eat what I eat, but I have been giving it a go.

Main meals I am pretty much set for, as I have quite a few savoury veggie recipes in my foodie arsenal, but quick on-the-go breakfasts can be tricky for me, as well as snacks when you are after something sweet. One thing that I do have a soft spot for is nut and seed butters, and love them on most things; from dipping apple slices into, spreading on dates or crackers, or just having them on toast. I can’t get enough! There are so many nut and seed butters out there, though, that even I, a nut butter enthusiast, had not tried before. Indigo Herbs were generous enough to send me a nut and seed butter hamper for the month of January, so I have been using the range, from things like hazelnut butter to sesame tahini, to apricot kernel butter. They have all tasted amazing and the bonus is that they are full of lots of natural goodness and plenty of healthy fats. Apricot kernel butter in particular has been proven to have many health benefits, and I found a few studies showing that in the areas of the world where apricots grow the most, the people have much healthier hearts than anywhere else, due to their high consumption of the apricot kernels. Pretty interesting stuff.

So with that in mind, I though I had to create a quick breakfast or go-to snack around apricot kernel butter, and thought that a flapjack with no added sugar would be a good way to go. It is quick, simple, tastes fruity and delicious, and is pretty inexpensive to make as well. A perfect veganuary snack.

Apricot & Mango Flapjacks

makes around 18 flapjacks

timing: less than 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200g dried apricots (sulphur-free is best)
• 200g dried mango (sugar and sulphur-free is best)
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 250g rolled oats (gluten-free works fine if needed)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp apricot kernel butter

What To Do:

1. Heat the oven to 200c and line a square baking tray with baking paper (or use some olive oil or extra coconut oil to grease the baking tray).
2. Boil the kettle with a bowl full of water, and put the mango and apricots in a heat-proof bowl. Once boiled, pour over enough water to cover the fruits, and leave to ‘rehydrate’ and soak for around 10 minutes. When the time is up, drain and rinse the fruits.
3. Next put the fruits in a food processor or strong blender and whizz together until broken into smaller pieces. Add the coconut oil (melted is ideal) to the bowl, along with the oats, maple syrup, and the apricot kernel butter. Pulse it all together for a few minutes until well mixed.
4. When it is combined, pour out onto the baking tray, and then press the mixture into the tray, making sure that it is all evenly spread and that the tray is covered. Bake in the oven for at least 20 minutes (up to 25 minutes), and make sure that the flapjacks are looking golden before removing.
5. Leave the flapjacks to cool in the tray completely before slicing, and then they’re ready to eat, or can be stored in a tupperware container for several days.

Have you ever taken part in veganuary? Are you a nut or seed butter fan like me? It would be great to hear what you think.

*This is a collaborative post where I was gifted items in exchange. All opinions are my own.