Make Christmasy Mincemeat & Oat Bars

At Christmas, there are usually so many sweet things to eat. In the UK, we eat loads (370 million in 2010) of mince pies, which are little, 3-4 mouthfuls of lovely short crust pastry with a filling of sweet and spicy mincemeat.

Although mince pies go hand in hand with Christmas in the minds of some people, sometimes it would be nice to have a treat that's slightly different. Here is an alternative that still uses mincemeat, but the oats give you a slightly healthier option.

Cooking Time and Quantity Made

Cooking time is approximately 35 minutes and this recipe makes about 16 bars.

• 300 g (1¹/₂ cups) oatmeal (rolled oats)
• 250 g (1¹/₄ cups) soft brown sugar
• 115 g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
• 5 g (1 teaspoon) bicarbonate of soda
• 250 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) melted butter
• 500 g (2¹/₄ cups) mincemeat, homemade, if possible or good store-bought mincemeat

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4)

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2. 2
   Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar and bicarbonate in a large bowl

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3. 3
   Stir in the butter, and with your hands, mix until well combined

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4. 4
   Put half of the oat mixture into a baking pan (12 x 8 x 1 inches, or 30.5 x 20.4 x 2.5 centimeters) and press down firmly

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   Spread the mincemeat over the oat mixture.

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5. 5
   Sprinkle the remaining mixture on top of the mincemeat and press down gently.

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6. 6
   Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown

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7. 7
   Allow to cool completely then slice into bars 1 x 3 inches (2.5 x 7.7 centimeters).

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• You don't have to be British, or even in Britain, at Christmas time to enjoy these mincemeat oat bars, and they can be enjoyed all year round. The kids will like them too.
• Make up a batch with the leftover mincemeat you didn't quite use up when you made your last batch of mince pies and enjoy these chewy goodies.
• Don't forget to leave some on a plate near the chimney for Santa and his reindeer. Rudolph loves nibbling on these.

It does not really matter how many oat bars you actually consume. It is Christmas and it only makes sense that you would like to splurge a bit on your intake. Also, what's good is that oat bars are actually healthy so it won't be detrimental to your health, as compared to when you take in a lot of the other pastries during Christmas.

Here are some of the health benefits of oat bars:

1. 1
   It is good for your heart

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   If you take in oats on a regular basis, it will help reduce the risk of getting heart disease. It is because oats are said to be able to absorb the bad cholesterol in the body and help in flushing it out. Therefore, oat bars are a good alternative as compared to those other fatty desserts during Christmas.

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2. 2
   It is a good source of carbohydrates which will give you enough energy

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   The Christmas seasons is one of the busiest seasons in the year. Therefore, it would be very helpful if you are energized enough to be able to accomplish everything you need to attend to during this time.

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3. 3
   It aids in proper digestion

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   Christmas always involves a lot of food and this is the time that you certainly just forget about your diet. What's even worse is that most of the food during this time are very fattening and rich in the things that you should often avoid during regular time. Also, it is considered rather impolite to refuse the food as this is a season of sharing and spending quality time with family and friends. Therefore, if you are eating oat bars, it will help counter somehow the harmful effects of the food you eat during this time. Oat bars are very rich in fiber and this will help you in digesting your food properly and bringing out the unnecessary substances.

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4. 4
   It contains the right amount of sugar

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   Although oats are in themselves sweet, they do not contain too much sugar that can harm your body or increase the blood sugar levels. Therefore, eating oat bars can satisfy your craving for something sweet yet it won't affect you negatively.

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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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