Plans Have Changed – A Raisin & Spice Bar Recipe.

I had everything sorted out for this last week before the schools broke up for the Easter holidays but as usual plans have changed. There has been no Friday Treat Box this week due to the number of orders which I had to do so I ain’t complaining as I was still busy baking 🙂 All it means is that this weekend I have to bake the “Easter” treats to take some up-to-date photos as I really need to finish filling the slots for these Easter Treat Boxes soon so that I can plan my time for the next couple of weeks.

That is all I need to do this weekend (she says with a extended sigh) as all admin is present and correct so I am feeling quite organised today. My business may be sorted but my house is a tip today. I am hoping when the hubby comes in from work we can motivate the children to help tidy up some of their mess. Fingers crossed, otherwise we will be living as pigs for the weekend – don’t think it will bother the children but I can’t just leave everything.

I have spent the morning sleeping on the couch as I seem to be rather exhausted as of late. It has taken a whole lot of will power for me to do anything this week – even the trip to the doctors was a chore. Can’t wait for the blood tests to come back to see what is wrong with me – if anything at all? Maybe I’m just drained physically and emotionally from dealing with my children and all their so called problems. To an adult I don’t see their concerns as a problem but to them – bless them – it’s the end of the world 🙁 I’m hoping some time away from friends and school life will calm them all down enough that we can spend some important family time talking everything through properly.

As you can see sometimes family troubles take over when you are self employed so I have just baked the orders which I had coming in rather than over stretch myself and try to do treat boxes this week. Apologies to those customers who would have enjoyed a treat box this weekend. I have spent a lot of time when baking just thinking through how to help the children, wondering what sort of day they have had at school and what horrors will unfold on the school pickup each day. 🙁 Not a nice week at all really but we got through it so all is good.

As my plans have changed today is the day I share a recipe but it ain’t the original one which I said I would share – oh no. This is a recipe for the Raisin and Spice Bars which I baked the other day for my family to enjoy. These bars were a big hit and the children had them as part of their packed lunches which is always a good sign. I ate the last piece crumbled onto some greek yoghurt and fresh fruit as my tea last night and it was lovely.

I made up this recipe for the Raisin and Spice Bars to celebrate “National Raisin and Spice Bar Day” which was on April 5th. I based the recipe on my trial Banana, Peanut Butter and Jam Bar recipe so as it is a trial I needed to make sure the bar worked:-

• kept well,

• sliced well

• tasted good.

This healthy snack bar ticks all those boxes and more so I really need to share my recipe for Raisin & Spice Bars with you 🙂

Nutritionally, one of these bars contains quite a few calories but if you use a low fat margarine you can lower the calories quite considerably. There are calories from the raisins which have fruit sugar naturally present. To reduce the sugar content you could change the type of sugar used in the recipe as in use a sugar substitute or even reduce the amount of sugar used in the recipe. This would also serve in reducing the calorie content of the spice bars.

The protein content could be improved by adding hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to the recipe in any combination.

The fat content could be lowered by changing the fat used in the recipe but really the majority of the fat is of the good variety so this recipe is quite a healthy recipe. If you were to slice the tray bake into smaller pieces then the calories per slice is less than 200. 🙂 A healthy sweet treat for you to try.

Apart from the Easter bakes which I need to do my plans for the rest of the weekend are to spend some time with my family before the baking orders begin again on Monday morning – Low Carbohydrate Cupcakes are on the menu 🙂