We all do it, there is some madness which happens to us just before Christmas and we become domestic goddesses, with the need to fill the house with everything and anything that anyone could possible crave over the holiday. Come January, we find ourselves with bowls of nuts waiting to be shelled and those ubiquitous boxes of dates, bought because Granny always likes them. Well, Credit Crunch Britain means we must use them up and here from the Fruisana Kitchen is the perfect way to use them a healthy snack which is low GI and nutritious! You can substitute or make up the weights for the dates and walnuts with other dried fruit and nuts just make sure the weights are the same.

Date and Walnut Bars

225g butter
225g Fruisana Fruit Sugar
3 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
175g stoned dates, chopped
175g walnuts, chopped
3 tbsp milk

1. Place the butter and Fruisana into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in each egg then fold in the flour. Stir in dates, walnuts and milk.
3. Place the mixture into a large lined Swiss roll tin.
4. Bake in a fan oven 160°C electric oven 180°C or gas oven mark 4 for 25 – 30 minutes until evenly golden and springy to the touch.
5. Cut into 16 bars. Cool on a wire rack.

Fruisana Fruit Sugar is pure fructose, which is a natural constituent of many fruits and vegetables. Unlike artificial sweeteners, fructose has no aftertaste it is made entirely from natural ingredients and contains no chemicals. As well as being perfect for use in hot and cold drinks, it can be used for all manner of recipes.

Fruisana offers numerous health benefits to slimmers, sportsmen and women, and non-insulin-dependent diabetics. It is more satiating and with its low GI* (only 19), it also makes an excellent recipe ingredient for anyone following a low GI diet.