Nutty On-The-Run Breakfast Bars

Time in the morning seems to tick away too fast and I never have time for breakfast before I dash out of the door. Cereal has been off my breakfast menu for about six months as I've stopped drinking milk. Calves milk is difficult for humans to digest and can lead to outbreaks of red flaky skin on your face, trust me - not attractive! Since I’ve been making my own granola bars, breakfast has become  tastier and my skin is much smoother too.

Unless you are allergic to nuts there is no reason not to try out this recipe. And for my fellow gym bunnies they are a great pre-workout energy booster too. Making a batch of these healthy snacks is super easy as there is no baking(!) plus, each ingredient is natural, nutritious and oh-so-good for you! 

The Ingredients 

50g dried cranberries

50g almonds

50g cashews

100g rolled oats

a handful of macadamia nuts

a handful of pistachios

50g sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of pure honey

1/2 cup of melted 100% natural almond butter 

Feel free to substitute any of the nuts for another kind and if you prefer you could use dried apricots or blueberries. This recipe will make 10-12 bars.

1. Blitz the nuts and the fruit in a food processor for about 30 seconds. You want a mixture of dust and large chunks. Pistachios are my favourite so I like to keep these whole.

2. Add them to a large mixing bowl with the oats and sunflower seeds. Pour in the honey and mix well. The mixture will start to get a bit clumpy and sticky, keep stirring until the sides of the bowl are clean.

4. Melt your almond butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then add to granola. Stir well until the mixture clumps together and doesn't stick to the side of the bowl.

5. Line a rectangular roasting tin with baking paper and pour in the mixture. Press it down very firmly and try to get it about half an inch thick with even edges.

6. Pop the tray in the freezer for at least an hour. Remove and slice into 10 - 12 equal portions. Wrap each portion individually in kitchen foil and return to the freezer. 

In the morning grab one before you leave the house. They’ll be ready to munch in five minutes and will be gone in two! This recipe requires minimal 'kitchen time', in less than 30 minutes you’ll have made yourself breakfast for almost two weeks. That’s pretty efficient by any standard!

"Nutty goodness!"

You probably shouldn’t eat too many of these granola bars in a day as they are quite calorific at approx 200 per bar. That's roughly the same as a low-fat bowl of cereal, but the nutritional benefits do not compare. Nuts are a fantastic source of vitamins, calcium, fibre, protein and more - especially in their raw format. Nuts are high in fat but the majority is good fat (hurray) that’s heart-healthy and any balanced diet needs some fat in it. Its great for our skin, hair and nails too. 

Want more healthy recipes?