No time for a healthy breakfast? Try these acai and blueberry breakfast bars! These bars have all the goodness of a bowl of porridge but in a portable form. Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients, they are incredibly quick and easy to make (throw all ingredients in one bowl, stir to mix and bake for 30 mins!).

These bars are packed with juicy blueberries, sweetened with apple, spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon and supplemented with flaxseed, chia, goji berries and optional protein powder (soya bean, pea and whey are great choices). The addition of peanut, cashew or almond butter gives these bars depth of flavour.

They are free from refined sugar or sugar-free if you use stevia. These bars offer a convenient and nutritious start to the day. Of course, they are great at other times too, but their portability make them a super choice for a grab and go breakfast, but also for the lunch-box, picnickers, hikers, commuters and gym-folk needing a pre- or post-work out snack.

These bars freeze well too, making them ideal for batch cooking. You can try using other nuts and fruits and substitute half of the milk for apple juice to make Bircher-style acai blueberry porridge bars (see below for variations).

Makes: 15-18 bars

Preparation time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

• 160g rolled oats (gluten–free if required)
• 3 tbsp acai berry omega-3 superfood powder or 2 tbsp acai berry powder
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted or sugar-free apple sauce for a fat-free bar!
• 1 apple, grated
• 100g nuts and seeds of choice. (I have used 50g sunflower seeds and 50g chopped walnuts)
• 50g goji berries
• 3 tbsp protein powder (soya bean, pea and whey varieties work well)
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia (ground or whole seeds) or ground chia and goldenberry powder
• 3 tbsp almond, cashew or peanut butter
• 360ml milk of choice (almond, coconut work well)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp honey or agave or date syrup or 2 tbsp stevia
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 160g fresh blueberries

To decorate:

• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
• Handful of blueberries

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line a rectangular baking tin measuring 8 X 11” with a little spray coconut oil.
• In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients to form a thick cake batter.

• Pour into the lined baking tin. Sprinkle desiccated coconut on top and stud with extra blueberries.

• Bake for 30 mins until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

• Wait until cool before slicing up into bars.

Variations: 

• Substitute blueberries fresh raspberries or dried goldenberries.
• Include lemon zest (from 1 lemon) and lemon juice (2tbsp) for extra zing.
• Substitute half the milk with apple juice to make a bircher –style breakfast bar
• Include 1 tsp turmeric for a spicier bar, or vitalising superpowder.
• Include 2 tbsp baobab powder for a lemony anti-oxidant burst.
• Decorate with a handful of ground almonds on top.