Muesli Cookie Squares- vegan

Muesli cookie squares are great energy snacks

I was asked to make flapjack last Friday evening but we had run out of oats, so I used some muesli and flour instead and got something much better than my original idea! I added cardamom (elaichi) and coconut to the mix, which makes these cookie-cum-flapjacks perfect companions to the redbush masala chai in my previous post. Thanks to the sugar and flour, they hold together well and are satisfyingly crunchy at the edges. (I would have used gour in preference to the sugar as it is a healthy choice, but I had run out.) The quantities below make 16 cookies, and I used imperial measurements as I based the recipe on my mum's old flapjack one.

8oz sugar-free muesli

8oz organic wholemeal flour

10oz demerara sugar

4oz desicccated coconut

2 oz sunflower seeds

1 tab powdered cardamom

6floz olive oil/ ricebran oil

2floz water

• First put the muesli and flour in a blender or food processor until broken down into smaller pieces.
• With a balloon whisk, beat the oil and water together using a small handful of the muesli/ flour mix to emulsify it.
• Melt the sugar and oil mixture together until the sugar has almost dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and add the flour and muesli and all the other ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
• Press well into an oiled shallow baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes in an oven preheated to 180C (fan oven temperature.).
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool. When partly cooled, cut into 16 rectangles and remove when completely cold.