Super Slice - River Cottage

I've become a big fan of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his River Cottage Everyday program, which is being shown on the ABC here in Australia at the moment

This week he featured bread....but while looking at his site to check out some other recipes, I found this delicious slice, which he calls a booster bar that's great for an energy hit at breakfast.

I have to agree with him... it really is better than anything you'll find in the health food aisle at the supermarket

I usually make MONT a cake or something to take to Bonnie Doon so thought this would be nice as a bit of a change. It doesn't look particularly attractive while making it, but it's the end result that's important.

Grease and line a baking tin about 20cm square and preheat the oven to about 160c

In a pot on low heat, gently melt together: 125g unsalted butter, 150g soft brown sugar, 125g crunchy peanut butter (the one with no added sugar)  75g honey and the finely grated zest of a lemon and an orange. I also added the juice of the lemon, just to give it a bit of a zing

Stir in 200g porridge oats and 150g dried fruit. I used some currants, sultanas, a couple of chopped dried figs and a few dried cranberries that I had left over. I also added a handful of pistachio nuts and a few pecans

Hugh suggests adding seeds as well, like pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, linseed and sesame seeds

Spread the mixture out evenly into the baking tin and, if you like,  scatter a few seeds on the top. Then bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until it's started to brown at the edges and is golden in the centre

You have to let this cool completely in the tin before you take it out and cut it, otherwise it'll break apart.

Hugh has this as a breakfast energy bar...I also like it with a cuppa.

If you're not a fan of peanut butter you can replace it with a mashed up banana. Just stir it in after all the other ingredients have been mixed together.

As I mentioned, I added the juice of a lemon. Next time I'll also add the juice of the orange, just to help lighten it a bit. I'll also get some pumpkin and sunflower seeds to mix in.

Use your imagination. That's the best thing about cooking. There's always something you can substitute if you don't have the original ingredient

I'm a River Cottage convert.