These little cubes are more than just a mouthful. Although they might look small, they are very filling and full of healthy ingredients. A thin layer of chocolate spread is enough to satisfy the chocolate craving and turn this snack into a ‘chocolaty treat’.
Makes: 24 cubes
Dietary: Suitable for egg-free, vegetarian
Contains: Gluten (baking powder, wholemeal flour, oats, cocoa powder), Milk,
May contain: Suphites (apricots)
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 – 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the cubes
¾ cup (75 g) oats
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3 tsp (15 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
4/5 cup (200 ml) milk, skimmed
1 banana, medium size
1/3 cup (50 g) wholemeal flour
½ cup (50 g) sweet potato, grated
3 – 4 (25 g) apricots, semi-dried, ready to eat
oil to grease the baking dish
For the topping
3 tsp (25 g) chocolate spread
6 (80 g) strawberries, sliced for topping
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 160 °C fan/gas mark 4.
- Combine oats, flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mash the banana.
- Finely chop the apricots and add to the banana.
- Peel and grate the sweet potato and add to the apricot and banana and mix well.
- Stir the milk into the dry and ingredients.
- Now combine wet and dry ingredients.
- Grease an ovenproof dish with a little neutral oil, e.g. rapeseed. The dish we used measured 16 x 24 x 6 cm (w x l x h).
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until set. Since this recipe does not contain any raw ingredients which should not be consumed raw, it is all about the texture.
- Once ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the dish.
- Once cooled down to room temperature, cut into 24 cubes and carefully remove the cubes from the dish (a spatula is helpful at this stage).
- Spread a thin layer of chocolate spread on top of the cubes you want to serve and add a slice of strawberry. Keep the ‘naked’ cubes in an airtight container in the fridge and add the topping before serving or enjoy without any additional topping.
This recipe has been donated by Nicole Duernhoefer
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Per cube: (26 g)
Total calories: 40 kcal
Fat: 0.8 g
Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrate: 6.3 g
Total sugar: 2.3 g
Fibre: 0.9 g
Protein: 1.3 g
Salt: 0.09 g
NUTRITION FACTS
- This recipe (per 100g) provides a source of protein and fibre.
- It is also low in fat and saturated fat, despite a thin layer of chocolate spread, and provides a good source of vitamin B1 and potassium.
- Thanks to the banana and milk, the cubes maintain a moist consistency, even without any butter or oil.
VARIATIONS
- Add 25 g of chopped nuts, e.g. cashew nuts, for extra crunch. This will increase calories to 46 kcal, the fibre content to 1 g and the fat content to 1.3 g per cube.
- Try different variations of the topping:
Replace the chocolate spread, e.g., with jam or peanut/almond butter and try slices of different fruit like banana, peach, carambola (star fruit) or berries. - Enjoy the cubes on their own without any additional topping (or just fruit) and make it even healthier by reducing fat and sugar.
- Scatter some blueberries on top of the mixture before baking.
© 2021 The Caroline Walker Trust
Edited by Kathy Lewis, a Registered Nutritionist