Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}
Okay, we’re going super-healthy this time, and it’s ugly but oh, so good! It’s a slice that could be co-opted as breakfast food, or packed into the lunchbox as a healthy snack. Rules surrounding what one can consume at school are getting so rigid these days, but never fear! This baby is nut-free. It is also egg-free. There are options for gluten and dairy free, too, but let’s not define this slice by what it’s not; let’s talk about what is! There is fruit (dried), wholegrain flour, yoghurt and coconut, and just a teensy-weensy bit of brown sugar. There could be muesli, there could even be chocolate – but that’s entirely up to you – it’s a ‘choose your own adventure’ type of slice!

Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}

Like many of my favourite recipes, this one was typed up using my mother’s electric typewriter during a slow school holiday break several decades ago, and remained untouched (or untried) in one of my old scrapbooks for many years. More recently when I was looking for inspiration, it caught my eye. I tried it once just to see what it was like, and decided it was worth making again – absolutely superb fresh out of the oven. You may notice it doesn’t have any type of fat, healthy or otherwise, listed in the ingredients (apart from the yoghurt). This makes it a perfect candidate for either eating warm or freezing immediately in lunchbox portions, as it will quickly become stale.

Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}

There is also very little added sugar. The dried fruit provides the bulk of the sweetness here, so there is very little need for added sugar. You could even sweeten it with honey or maple syrup instead; it’s a very forgiving recipe. Although it uses an Australian dried fruit product – fruit medley – I have interpreted this as a chance to throw in whatever dried fruit you prefer, and choc chips instead of sultanas. There are so many ways you could play with this recipe – it’s pretty basic as is. I’m thinking of adding spices next time, and even some eggs or oil so that it stays fresher for longer. If you wanted to, try using nut-free muesli as an alternative to coconut, as per Taste.com.au

Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {gluten-free and dairy options}

Fruit & Yoghurt Slice {with gluten-free and dairy-free options}

Makes 24 squares

Ingredients
1 cup wholemeal flour (I used a mix of plain GF flour and brown rice flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup fruit medley (i.e. your favourite mix of dried fruit, chopped)
½ cup sultanas (I used choc chips)
1 cup (250g) natural Greek-style yoghurt (I used coconut yoghurt + 1 tablespoon oil)
4 tablespoons shredded coconut

Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320F). Grease a shallow slice tin (base measures 18 x 27cm). Line with baking paper, allowing 2cm overhang at long ends.

Sift flours, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except for the shredded coconut, and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and press down. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting.

Slice is best eaten on the day it is cooked.

Notes
Adapted from Food.com and Taste.com.au

*If you make this and post a photo of it, be sure to use the hash tag #sweettucker when sharing on Instagram.

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