One thing we always have in our kitchen cupboards are wholesome crackers.  We love all wholegrain versions and often have rice, hemp, quinoa and rye versions at home.  For us they are a cupboard staple to provide us with a quick, easy and healthy snack for the children.  I also use them instead of sandwiches in the children’s lunchboxes with various toppings and also to dunk into bowls of hearty soup!  We do also love oatcakes which we use in the same way, though for some unknown reason I don’t seem to buy them as much, but after being sent some Nairn’s Oatcakes to try, for the purpose of this blog post, I think that will now change!

What are Nairn’s Gluten Free Oatcakes?

As we are vegan and I don’t buy anything at home with refined sugar (or many other added sugars) we were sent the Gluten Free Oatcakes and Gluten Free Super Seeded Oatcakes.  Both these varieties are:

• High fibre
• Gluten free
• Vegan
• No added sugar
• Wholegrain
• Simple, natural wholesome ingredients
• GM free
• No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives

How can I eat Nairn’s Oatcakes?

While I personally think they are yummy on their own, they can be a bit dry to some so they are used as a base or accompaniment to other food.  Here are just some of the ways you can enjoy eating your oatcakes:

• On the go snack, just as they are
• Instead of bread with soup
• Crushed up as the base of a cheesecake
• With savoury toppings as canapes for a party
• With sweet toppings as a dessert or to satisfy a sweet craving

There are probably an infinite number of toppings for Nairn’s Oatcakes and this is my favourite way to eat them.  I’m not a baker and we don’t do big desserts, but often me and the kids do fancy something little and sweet after dinner, so these oatcakes are the perfect solution.  Today I’ll share with you the five toppings I added to our oatcakes. The best thing about these toppings are they are totally pick’n’mix.  It’s a fun idea to pop out a few combinations – a spread and then a sprinkle type topping – and then let the kids create their own topped oatcakes!

5 deliciously sweet vegan oatcake toppings

Here are the five toppings I created today after lunch.  I tried to eat them all slyly, but Reuben caught me and so I shared them with him.  He enjoyed every single one, so much so that later today after dinner he asked for them again!

I was able to use all sorts of ingredients that were already in my cupboards.  I went with the idea of one spread type topping and one sprinkle type topping, so I chose ten different ingredients that we already had available.  The best thing is they are so versatile, you really can use anything you have available at home.  There are so many yummy combinations to create!

Here are the five oatcake toppings I created today:

1.      Coconut-honey and banana

This is the first time I tried this coconut nectar which is an alternative to honey.  It is still a type of added sugar to me, so I really limit my intake of such things, but I got it mainly for Ben, the flapjack maker!  It’s yummy and Ben will be impressed as he loves making flapjacks and needs a honey replacement.  Combined with banana it is simply delicious.

2.      Peanut butter and cacao nibs

I use 100% nut butter.  Be wary of most mainstream supermarket peanut butters which have tons of added sugar.  Look out for 100% nut alternatives with no other ingredients.  Cacao nibs are amazing!  They are just like chocolate chips, but raw, unrefined, rich in flavour and with no added sugar!

3.      Wild blueberry jam and coconut flakes

There are a couple of brands I love that make jam with fruit only and no added refined sugar.  Wild blueberry jam is so delicious and super tasty with coconut flakes.

4.      Almond cheese spread and hemp seeds

Almond cheese spread has a subtle sweet almondy taste that is perfect for sweet dishes and not just savoury.  It combines perfectly with hemp seeds to add a little crunch and enrich the creamy flavour.

5.      Chocolate sauce and raisins

I use a chocolate sauce that’s made from carob, fruit and 100% natural ingredients with a low GI and no refined sugar like regular chocolate sauces.  I added raisins for a chewy texture.  Yum!

All of the toppings were so delicious and my three year old, Reuben, totally agreed.  These don’t contain any refined sugars with the brands I used and also offer some nutrition as well as being a tasty treat.  Cacao nibs and hemp seeds, for example, are superfoods.  These are a much healthier alternative to your traditional desserts.

Here are all the toppings I used:

Will I buy Nairn’s Gluten Free Oatcakes again?

Absolutely!  We’ve had them before and thanks to Nairn’s for sending me some to remind me of how delicious and versatile they are.  I’m looking forward to creating some savoury toppings for lunchtimes and also the kids’ lunchboxes.  They are a natural, wholegrain alternative to many of the sugar filled biscuits and crackers that line the supermarket shelves today.  Personally, I will always choose brands like Nairn’s that have ranges with no added sugar and natural wholesome ingredients.

More yummy blog posts
5 Easy and Nutritious Vegan Breakfasts to get 3 of your 5-a-day
Vinnie’s Eatery Review – Cheltenham’s Vegan Plant Based Restaurant
Healthy Creamy Chocolate & Cashew Smoothie
Lean Green Superfood Smoothie Recipe
Delicious Berry, Banana & Baobab Smoothie

I was sent the Nairn’s Oatcakes for the purpose of this blog post.  All opinions are my own.