Gingery pumpkin bars

Are you sick of pumpkin recipes yet? I hope not, because here is another! I’ve mentioned before that unlike our North American neighbours (well, neighbours over-the-ocean), Australia hasn’t quite jumped on the all-things-pumpkin bandwagon just yet. So I was pleasantly surprised when I found a pumpkin energy bar in the store the other day. It was soft and slightly chewy with a lovely subtle pumpkin flavour. However, the ingredient list was quite long with lots of added nasties, so I set out to see if I could make a simplified, healthier version at home. It took me two a few goes, but I finally got the taste and texture pretty spot-on. If you live in North America, Im sure these are nothing new to you, in fact based on the influx of pumpkin recipes on my blog reader feed over the past month or so, Im guessing they are probably quite common, probably mass produced and now more popular than Mars bars, particularly during the Fall months. I didnt Google to see if they exist – every time I think I have come up with some amazing new recipe idea, a quick internet search reveals many variations of the same kind (damn you Google for stealing my ideas before I even have the chance to think of them!)
These bars only contain a few main ingredients – pumpkin, oats, dates and almonds, as well as the spices that flavour them. Their texture is firm yet soft (I think they work best straight out of the fridge otherwise they start to lose a little of their firmness) and the flavour combination is lovely. Pumpkin and ginger are the star players here, with their flavours marrying together to create a delicious tasting little bar.

Gingery pumpkin bars
Notes: Feel free to cut back the ginger to half a teaspoon if you arent a huge fan – you’ll still get a hint of ginger but it wont play as big a part as when you use the whole amount
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup rolled oats
10 medjool dates, pitted
1 cup roast pumpkin
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2-3 heaped tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Add almonds and oats to a food processor and pulse a few times. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the pepitas, and process until combined and a ball has formed. The mixture should be quite firm and slightly sticky to the touch at this point.
Pour into a lined baking pan and press down. Sprinkle the pepitas on top and lightly press down.
Set in the freezer for 20 minutes or so, and then store in the fridge.