These Apple & Pecan Flapjacks are the perfect autumnal snack and pair really well with a cuppa chai! Apples are in abundance in Ireland at the moment and everyone knows there’s nothing better than an Irish apple!
I use regular eating apples rather than cooking apples as they are naturally sweeter and as a result I don’t need to add more sugar to them when cooking.
In ayurveda Apples, when raw, are vata increasing, they are astringent and drying thus raw apples can lead to bloating and constipation, especially at this time of year. Cooked apples however lose their astringency and are more vata friendly. The cooling properties of apples can help reduce pitta which makes them an ideal autumn food as we need to balance pitta after the hot days of summer.
Oats are vata and pitta balancing in their sweet, heavy and soft qualities. Again making them a good choice for autumnal breakfasts or snacks.
Ingredients
⅔ medium sized apples (I got mine from my neighbours garden!)
3 medjool dates (I love the Yogi Yousef ones)
3 dried prunes
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅓ teaspoon ginger powder
175g butter
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
100g coconut sugar
350g porridge oats
50g chopped pecan nuts
Method
step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Line with 20x 20 square tin baking parchment. Tip the chopped apples, dates, prunes, cinnamon and ginger into a small saucepan with 2 tsp water and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until the apples are just soft enough to crush, but there’s still a little water left in the pan. If needed, add a little more water and cook the apples for slightly longer. I like to leave the apples slightly chunky but you could mash them into a puree if you want. Set cooked apples aside for now.
Step 2
Add the butter, maple syrup and coconut sugar into a pan and warm over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour over the apple mixture.
Step 3
Combine the oats, pecans, in a large bowl. Add in the buttery syrup mix and cooked apples, then stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and press down firmly. Level the surface using a spatula, then bake for 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling at the sides. Cut while still warm and then leave to cool.
These will keep in an airtight container for three days if they last that long.
They make for a great quick breakfast on the go or a mid afternoon snack.
