Lemon & Blueberry Oat Bars (ve, gf)

We all have those days when we are rushed through the door in the morning without time for breakfast (or sometimes even a cup of tea)! Enter these delicious lemon and blueberry oat bars. They can easily be prepared on the weekend and then stored in the fridge ready to brighten up your morning (or your lunch or snack box).

As usual all our recipes are packed with highly nutritious ingredients and these bars are no exception. Oats are a very good source of fibre, especially beta glucan (known for reducing cholesterol), and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Whole oats are the only food source of avenanthramides, a unique group of antioxidants believed to protect against heart disease.

I also love how versatile this recipe is; cherry jam & almond butter or peanut butter & raspberry jam are just some of my other favourite combinations.

• Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

  • 3tbsp chia seeds

  • 4tbsp maple syrup

  • 1/3 cup smooth cashew butter

  • 2 unwaxed lemons

  • 1tsp vanilla extract

  • 2 cups oats

  • 1/2tsp baking powder

• Method

  1. Make the blueberry jam by combining the blueberries, 1tbsp chia seeds, 1tbsp maple syrup and a splash of water in a small pan. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until you have a thick jam-like mixture.

  2. Line a 20x20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.

  3. Zest the 2 lemons and juice 1.

  4. In a large bowl, mix in the cashew butter, the remaining maple syrup and the vanilla extract until the cashew butter has loosen up slightly.

  5. Then slowly add in the lemon juice and 1 cup of water, stirring as you go to combine (in total you should have around 1 + 1/2 cups of liquid). If you struggle to combine it stick your hand blender in for a few seconds and that should do the trick.

  6. Finally, add the oats, chia seeds, lemon zest and baking powder. Stir to combine.

  7. Pour the oat mixture into the pre-prepared pan. Smooth it out into an even layer, Dot the oats with spoonfuls of the blueberry jam and then swirl them into the oats.

  8. Bake for 30 minutes in the centre of the oven until golden. Let is sit in the pan for 5-10minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Slice into squares and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be enjoyed cold or warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Hope you enjoy it and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your recreations.