Pasteli

1 c. sesame seeds
1/3 c. pistachios, chopped
1/2 c. honey
1 inch lemon peel slice
1 tsp. lemon juice
dash or two of sugar

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Brush olive oil onto a spatula. Set aside.

Add the sesame seeds to a small pan, and cook over low heat until lightly golden. Takes about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Add honey, lemon peel, juice, and sugar to a pot. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Then stir continuously for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the lemon peel. Discard the peel.

Immediately add sesames and pistachios to the honey mixture. Mix well. Empty onto prepared baking pan.

Flatten the mixture with the prepared spatula.

Cool at room temperature about 20 minutes until semi hard. Cut into bars. Wrap each bar in wax paper. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 10-12 bars

The recipe I adapted is from lemonandolives.com.

Aussie Bites

1 3/4 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. dried apricots
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. ground flaxseed
1/4 c. sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/4 c. unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/4 c. quinoa, cooked or uncooked*
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly grease a 24 count mini muffin tin.

Pour one cup of oats into a food processor. Process until the oats are basically oat flour.

Add in the remaining oats, sugar, apricots, raisins, seeds, coconut, quinoa, and baking soda. Pulse until apricots and raisins are in small bits.

Pour in the honey, butter, oil, and vanilla. Pulse until just combined.

Divide batter among the prepared tin.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops are turning golden.

Let cool in the tin on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Remove from tin and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

*Cooked quinoa gives a softer texture, but if you don't want to cook any, uncooked works too! I've made it both ways. Not gonna lie, cooked quinoa is better.

*Now that I've made this recipe 5-6 times, I think my favorite way is with quinoa that was cooked a day or two ago instead of with warm freshly cooked quinoa. But feel free to experiment with this yourself.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://thestayathomechef.com/homemade-aussie-bites/