Every day for work I pack Mr NQN a lunch to take with him. Occasionally I will fill a bag with things that he can share with his colleagues although these have to be easily transportable as he rides a bike to work. Mindful that I used to overfeed the fish and cat (and I think they both died from obesity) I am cognizant of my tendency to overfeed others.
He usually get a sandwich, some fruit but I can’t help sneaking in a snack or sweet in the lunch. I figure he burns it off on his ride (ok we live about 6 minutes from the city by bike so he’s not really burning that much off) but I figure something sweet can’t hurt. Of course it’s that same logic that made my cat into a sprawling furry shape of Australia.
He has taken recently to riding distances in order to get his fix for exercise (I know, I don’t know what that is about) and one Sunday morning he awoke at 6am to ride from North Sydney to Homebush. He asked me if I had any muesli bars and of course I didn’t although a part of me wanted to jump up and say “but wait…I have an array of cakes and biscuits!” while showcasing the goodies like a Wheel of Fortune hostess.
Mr NQN was eyeing some dried fruit that I had bought and seeing his puppy dog eyes I decided to turn on the oven and make some macadamia and fruit bars for his trip that I had earmarked in a new book I had been sent to review called Seasons at Home by Holly Kerr Forsyth. I liked the idea that it had dried fruit and macadamias in it but also a little layer of cookie so that it wasn’t completely virtuous.
They were fairly easy to make and I used some fabulously fresh macadamia nuts I had been gifted from Lorne Valley macadamias in Port Macquarie which made the bars incredibly crunchy and moreish. The fruit which you can customise to use your favourite dried fruit was strong in ginger because that is his favourite. The topping was moist and slightly sticky and gooey and the cookie bottom, well of course that is always going to ring my bell.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you pack a lunch for work? Or do you buy your lunch and if so, do you get something sweet to finish it off?
Macadamia & Fruit Lunchbox Bars
Adapted from Seasons at Home with Holly Kerr Forsyth, published by MUP $34.99
Base
- 100g/3.5 ozs butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup plain flour
Topping
- 1 cup mixed fruit with your favourite dried fruit-I used Turkish apricots, Iranian golden raisins, glace pineapple and glace ginger
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
- 2 free range eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup plain flour, extra
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- icing sugar to dust (optional)
1. First chop up the dried fruit and place it in a saucepan with the water, simmer for five minutes and then cool.
2. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Butter and line a 20x20cms square tin (or round tin) with parchment paper. In a small food processor, whiz the base ingredients of butter, caster sugar and flour until it just come together to resemble a cookie dough. Or you can do this by hand in a small bowl, it doesn’t take long. Press into the bottom of the tin in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from oven.
3. Meanwhile mix the brown sugar, macadamia nuts, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and the fruit mixture in a bowl. Mix together until cohesive and then when the base is cooked spoon the fruit mixture over the base. Smooth over the top and place in oven to cook for 30-35 minutes until the top is evenly cooked and not “wet” looking. Remove from the oven and cool. Once cool, dust with icing sugar and slice into fingers or wedges.
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66 Comments | Add your own
Wonderful slices! I really love that use of nuts and dried fruits.
Cheers,
Rosa
I work at home now, but when I worked at an office I took my lunch half the time and ate out the other half. I used to like to go out for a small lunch of soup so I could indulge in a big cookie for dessert. Love the fruits and nuts, and the mix of healthy and indulgent, in these bars!
you made me smile picturing you showcasing the goodies!
How amazing does the raw mixture look?! I don’t think it’d get as far as the oven!
i adore macadamia nuts, and your selection of dried fruits is spot-on for my tastes too–great bars!
Yum!!
I will be putting this slice in the kids lunch boxes very soon.
I pack four school lunches everyday (one is a double, for the teenage boy). I always make a healthy sandwich but I love packing a homemade treat for recess.
This looks amazing! We can even call it healthy with all that fruit
I especially like the inclusion of the ginger! My favourite. Oh, and I over feed too LOL! I have worked out if I am feeding more people and animals, I am less inclined to turn anyone one person or animal into a walking marshmallow
This sounds and looks awesome, the topping is more than the base.
I would like something like this to take to work:) I like the ‘tracing’ (I don’t know what the correct word is…) of the spoon you did with the icing sugar.
I pack my lunch as I am trying to save money. But the problem is, I’ll have something for two months straight and get sick of it and then it will be six months before I can eat it again. Today I was lazy and just have yogurt with fruit. Unfortunately Haighs Chocolate is only a walk from my work, so if I need chocolate, I go there. It’s good, but bad!:)
haha too funny! I am actually eating a muesli bar as I read this!!!
Your slices look dee-lish : 9
I may have to try that as I love a shortbreadish base for fruit.
I work 4 days a week and virtuously bring a healthyish lunch for 3 of those.
Fridays I allow myself to go hogwild and eat total crap if I want. Pizza, hot dogs, Mcdonald’s…etcetera
Tomorrow is my CrazyDay!
They look so chewey and gooooooood! All it needs is some white chocolate chunks added to make it perfect
This looks delicious Lorraine! Yum
Hairy could walk backwards in high heels from Cairns to Melbourne and I wouldnt be able to pack his lunch. Not for want of trying, he’s very fussy. He wont even eat chicken yakitori because he swears it will have raw fish in it. Lucky you to be able to create such a treat. I would eat it straight from the oven, infact I usually do which I was I look like a hairless map of Australia!
T xx
I always pack lunch for my husband and daughter, usually sandwiches or leftovers from tea.
These look delicious. I always pack lunch otherwise I would probably eat a brownie or cupcake for lunch instead of something a little better for me
I love macadamia nuts. This looks delicious.
Mr NQN is a lucky man!
I take my lunch 99% of the time, it saves money and where I work in the ‘burbs there is not much choice of places to buy something at.
Oh Em Gee, I’m making this right now. Nom!
I would be very happy to have these in my lunchbox! I usually pack my lunch, and there is usually something sweet in there.
Tell us more about this book please. I usually read her column in the weekend paper.
These look wonderful! I love the whole idea of the Australian “slice,” in all its guises. And yes, I’m half Southern American and half Italian–I definitely am an overfeeder! Now that my son is 21 and lives on his own, I don’t pack lunches anymore. But I wish I had had this recipe when I did! Thanks, Lorraine.
I compromise it’s either buy coffee or lunch. That way I’m more tempted to have nommy snack with my coffee from the Italian sweet shop. Cannoli are definitely a favorite but only if I bring lunch:-)
I can only seem to cater for multiples of 10. I don’t feel I have done a good job if you can still breathe at the end of my meals. It’s not necessarily bad food just moorish:-)
i bet it would taste good almonds were used.
I wish you were my mum, packing my lunchbox every day
…wait. Even my REAL mum doesn’t pack my lunchbox every day. Or ANY day. WTF I’m going to call her right now.
THIS LOOKS AMAZZZZZZZING.
These looks lovely and something I can make for the office morning tea next week!
“Of course it’s that same logic that made my cat into a sprawling furry shape of Australia” aww that is just too cute :p
Those bars look great! I like feeding others too – there’s no way I’m able to finish all the food I constantly make right?
Yum. Considering making my own granola because the store bought stuff has no fruit these days!
I love a sweet reward for being virtuous and eating a sandwich or similar. Wish I didn’t have a sweet tooth though!
This looks really good! I try to bring my own lunch if I can and I almost always have something sweet at the end. I just can’t help it!
Looks delicious…although I think still only something I’d indulge in occasionally despite the “healthy” fruit and nuts….
We pack lunch every day, as well as morning and afternoon tea. No treats!! Having all our food packed stops us needing/wanting to buy things we shouldn’t eat!
I pack lunch for my hubs too but no sweets :p lucky Mr NQN!
I always start off the week with the intention of packing my own healthy lunch but somehow lose track by the end of the week. It’s definitely easier if you have someone else to cook for though (I’m much better at packing lunch when I have to make Jason’s as well!).
Now that I’m starting work, I think I will start packing my lunches and (hopefully) do it for the whole week. Your lunchbox bars will be a great addition =)
I’ve got to tell you, now that I am back at the old work harness again… I would die for these to take with me in the morning… whoever gets them should kiss your Manolos to get these bars.
Drool.
I think this is my favourite recipe ever!
Yum Lorraine this looks delish!
Pity the boys’ school has a “NUT FREE” policy…all the more for me, hee hee 
I’ll be making this for sure.
I pack lunches every day for my two boys, husband and me. We try to take healthy salads as often as poss but the addition of a “healthy treat” is just soooo appealing
looks really nice Lorraine
I’m not much for dried fruit but this looks tasty!
These look amazingly irresistible. Definitely on my to do list.
I pack my lunches for work – I work in a school and refuse to eat the school lunch. No sweet treats for me, though. I am lucky if I can get the food down in one sitting! So, the treat is saved for a time I can enjoy it.
Yummo, a healthy treat should never be too virtuous, or you’ll still be tempted to stray into forbidden sweetness. Even my trail mix has tiny dark chocbuds.
My kiddies lunches would be much more interesting if a fridge was available at school. I have been known to turn up to school in winter with fresh made hot soup though!
I like the look of this, might make it for the kids’ lunches with the nuts substituted. (nut free policy) My hubby rides to work and back too (27km each way though, still faster than taking the train), although he’ll probably say there’s too much sugar in this, LOL!
Macadamias are hubby’s fav nut so I’ll definitely be giving this a go. Thanks Lorraine!
There is always chocolate nearby. No matter where I am – home, work, out and about with my purse… there is always chocolate nearby.
Though this would probably be more nourishing to have on hand!!
Haha I love the hidden layer
then it keeps everyone happy 
I would love these so much more than a muesli bar! They look fantastic, Lorraine! I usually come home for lunch:)
Yum… I would definitely exercise more or hike or take long bike rides if this was a treat offered
I normally bring lunch but have been naughty as of late and buying salads instead. Though I do have a naughty draw of snacks and chocolate biscuits
Hi…I pack my hubbies lunch every day as he works in a remote area…I say living with him is like having a labrador, he just adores leftovers for lunch and hates anything going to waste! Including the chicken carcasses after I’ve made a stock! I try to make him a “treat” once a week which he loves. Will definitely be making this lovely looking slice today !
Definitely no worse than muesli bars – most are packed with sugar and butter (not that there’s anything wrong with sugar and butter! I’d just rather use it on something a bit tastier!)
This is great! I was just wondering what to do with my containers of dried fruit, and now I can make something for my break at work
cheers!
Yum yum, these look delicious. A must do for my Peter.
Ginger, apricot and macadamia is is one of those heavenly combinations that always works! I usually make a batch of something that I am sure has less fat & sugar than a commercial muesli bar for our work breakfasts. These are a good option!
I love anything with nuts in it and this looks delicious!
Mr NQN is very lucky to have you. Those treats look so much better than an Uncle Tobys Muesli bar.
You can sneak some sugar into my lunchbox!
Yum!!
I generally have a healthy lunch (homemade or bought) but i’ll often have a sweet snack in the afternoon. My favoured afternoon treat is a salted caramel macaron with my coffee
Aha, now I know what a slice is! I usually pack a lunch for work although sometimes I end up going out for a sandwich or similar. I prefer bringing lunch because it is usually a healthier, lighter option. When I go out I always seem to treat myself to something. Have a lovely week end.
Moi? Moi doesn’t work, but if I did, I’d bring my own lunch. I’m too much of a food snob to have to eat anything that I consider “substandard.” If I did pack my lunch, I’d love this gorgeous snack, thats for sure.
*kisses* HH
Chopped dried fruits! I want to have this for lunch or snack or with my coffee!
What a good wife you are! I wish I could pack lunch for my man but he likes to buy his. When I worked in an office I used to always pack my lunch. I made sure it was always something to look forward to and not some attempt to eat salad or the like. If I did pack something like salad it would return home with me along with at least $10 less in my wallet because I would buy lunch.
Yum , I need to make this before Monday when I start my diet, lol.
I used to pack my husband lunch, but now he works from home and unless he is out at a meeting he just step into the kitchen for lunch
. And yes, I used to bake sweet treats for him to take to his office mates, nutty things always went down well, I wonder why! These bars would have been perfect!!
Oh yes, I’m a fan of ‘let’s have something sweet to finish’. Though I try to make fruit my first choice, its so much better accompanied by crisp and crunch like this.
Awww aren’t you a sweet wife?! I do much the same for my husband – I love baking and can’t/shouldn’t eat it all, so I send all the baked goods to work with him instead
Gosh, these look delicious! Definitely going to have to give them a try. Lunch is always a problem for me – I never know what to pack! Your man is so lucky to have you to pack him lovely lunches!
How delicious!! I ALWAYS pack my lunch, saves so much money. It’s always a big, amazing salad, yoghurt, fruit, fresh dates, maybe a homemade baked good, carrots, hunk of cheese – that sort of thing. I always make the effort to make it pretty amazing
Heidi xo
I often pack my work lunch – soups are the best but I love sandwiches if I have just baked bread – and something sweet is great! E buys his lunch which always seems a shame but if I make it for him I feel like his mum and he would probably throw it in the bin! I would love this slice in my lunchbox! Probably better than the fudge we have at the momemnt
Awesome. My friends in Hawaii sent a case of Macadamias not too long ago. Now grated they are those smallish 3 oz cans, but still, I have a case and that’s a lotta nuts. So this post is just in time. Thank you!
I love macadamia nuts and this slice looks good although sadly my girls school is nut free. I would have to substitute the nuts for lunchboxes
Looks soooo scrummy. I haven’t had dried fruits in what seems like a long time too, hmm.
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