Snacks Paradise

Ingredients
olive oil , for greasing
75 g shelled pistachios
100 g mixed seeds
250 g rolled oats
8 Medjool dates
100 g dried apricots
50 g quality dark chocolate (70%)
100 ml maple syrup
4 tablespoons smooth almond butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm square baking tin.
Chop the pistachios, then scatter over a baking sheet with the mixed seeds and oats, and roast for 20 minutes, or until golden and toasted, turning occasionally.
Meanwhile, destone and roughly tear the dates, and roughly chop the apricots and chocolate.
Place the maple syrup, almond butter, dates and 150ml of water in a small saucepan over a low heat. Gently heat for 10 minutes, mashing the dates with the back of your spoon, until you have a sticky sauce.
Tip the oats, seeds and pistachios into a large bowl along with the apricots and pour over the maple syrup mixture. Coat everything in the sticky sauce before gently folding through the dark chocolate.
Pour the mixture into the baking tin, using a back of a spoon to press into an even layer.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, then cut into portions.

Ingredients
5 spring onions
1 small clove of garlic
olive oil
160 g arborio risotto rice
80 ml white wine
500 ml hot organic vegetable stock
40 g fresh or frozen peas
20 g butter
1 lemon
20 g Parmesan cheese
2 sprigs of fresh mint
½ a bunch of fresh basil
2 large free-range eggs
200 g fresh breadcrumbs
vegetable oil

Method
Trim and finely chop the spring onions, peel and finely chop the garlic.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add half the spring onions and cook gently until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Turn up the heat, add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes until translucent, then add the wine and keep stirring until all of it has been absorbed.
Pour in the hot stock in small amounts, stirring continuously over a low heat until the rice is almost cooked; you may not need all of the stock.
Add the peas and cook for a couple of minutes more.
Turn off the heat and stir in the butter, remaining spring onions and lemon zest. Finely grate in the Parmesan, pick, chop and add the herbs, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Leave to cool completely.
Take small handfuls and shape into cakes. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, then place the breadcrumbs on a plate alongside it.
Dip the cakes in the egg, shaking off any excess, then coat in the breadcrumbs.
Heat enough oil to fill a large frying pan to about half the depth of the cakes. Fry the arancini for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
Serve with a green salad and a squeeze of lemon.