Birdseed Bars Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 cup coconut or (fine) rolled oats or crushed cornflakes
1 cup sultanas
100 g butter
¼ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar

Method
Line the base and sides of apan about 18x28 cm with baking paper.

One variety at a time, watching crefully to prevent over-browning, lightly toast the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, coconut, and rolled oats or crushed cornflakes, under a grill or in a large heavy-bottomed frypan on moderate heat. Stire so that the contents brown eenly and lightly. (Do not mix before heating, since they brown at different rates.) Mix them in a large bowl after they are heated, and stir in the sultanas.

Put the butter, honey and brown sugar into the large pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves, making a toffee-like mixture. Heat until a drop forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water, then tip the toasted ingredients back into the pan. Stir well to combine, then press the mixture into the prepared pan. Leave until lukewarm, then turn out onto a board and, using a sharp serrated knife, cut it into bars the size and shape you like.

Variation: Replace peanuts with walnuts or almonds.

Serve whenever a healthy snack is required. Store promptly when cold in an airtight container (or carefuly wrap pieces individually).