Salted caramel is all around us, but have you tried salted cacao? Just as delicious, this fructose-friendly baked treat also packs a nutritional punch.

The walnuts in this dish are full of compounds which protect the nervous system such as Vitamin E, melatonin, folate, omega-3 fats and antioxidants. It also contains a good dash of cacao which is rich in magnesium, a mineral required by every organ in the body. Let’s not forget the oats which provide valuable fibre, protein and manganese. Oats also keep you full for longer by keeping glucose levels steady.

Enjoy straight out of the oven.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almond nut butter or any other nut butter
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup organic maple syrup or sweetener of choice
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups oats ground into flour (see step 2)
1 cup whole walnuts toasted and chopped

Method:

1. Line a baking dish with baking paper and toast nuts for 7-10 mins at 180 degrees and remove and chop them up roughly.

2. Pour oats into a food processor and ground up into a flour consistency, remove and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, add nut butter, cacao and maple syrup and stir frequently on medium heat. Remove from heat once all ingredients are combined.

4. Next add in oat flour, vanilla extract and chopped walnuts, stirring very well to combine all ingredients.

5. Pour mixture into lined baking dish and flatten down until packed tightly. You can sprinkle on some more salt if you like.

6. Place in freezer to set for 1/2-1 hr. When set, remove and chop up. The slice can then be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.