Last updated on March 31st, 2024 at 12:59 pm
When I turned thirty I knew I would have to start making more changes in my life. Up until that point I have been one of the lucky ones to eat whatever I wanted, ignore exercise, and live a very unhealthy lifestyle without looking it. After turning thirty, not so much.
Better Food Choices
I have noticed just in the few weeks we have been eating cleaner, and making better food choices while out and about how much better my skin is, my hair feels and overall how much better I feel. My nails are growing faster and I used to get bloated stomach a lot and I haven’t even been doing anything extreme. It was more like little changes here like switching to soy milk in my cereal and coffee. Switching to decaf coffee. Having more seeds, nuts and dried fruit mixed together for a snack instead of crisps or a digestive. Along side my casual juicing and kettlebells I can see the difference. While I haven’t lost any weight, (I have actually gained it) muscle weighs more than fat remember, I feel better. I think this is the only reason I didn’t get really sick when both kids and hubby did in France a few weeks back. If you know me I am usually the first person that gets that pesky cough and stays coughing forever! If you saw me at Mumsnet or heard me you can vouch for it. I truly believe it was my diet that saved me. Now, don’t get me wrong I haven’t completely flipped a switch when pizza was offered last week I ate it. When a chocolate bar was floating around the house, I ate that too.
It’s a learning process, I never do well with diets so I say just change little things here and there and little choices and then it’s not falling off the bandwagon when you want something bad. It’s treating yourself because you have been so good. That’s my thinking anyway.
Healthy Oat Bars Recipe
So I am sharing one my easy and scrumptious oat bar recipes. I used to make this a lot with chocolate chips inside it and lots of sugar or have made it with melted white chocolate on top as a treat. On my eating healthier I decided to try it without the sugar and without the chocolate in or on top of it. To be honest it still tastes like a treat! I am a huge fan of coconut so to me anything with coconut is a dessert. Yum!
Perfect For Packed Lunches
I can just see me whipping these up for my kids in their packed lunches for school (be aware if your school has a no nut policy). Or handing them one for breakfast on the go. I love how much goodness is packed in them. My kids love a handful of nuts and fruit so they really love this recipe. The oats and nuts will keep them fuller for longer and since there is no added sugar they won’t hit that dreaded slump after a sugar come down.
Healthy Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 3 cups large oats
- 1/8 cup Truvia sweetener
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup honey
- ½ cup Tesco 4 seed mix sunflower seeds, golden linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
- 1 cup chopped mixed nuts walnuts, almonds, pecans
- 1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (140 C)
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Line deep cookie sheet with parchment paper
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In large bowl mix flour, sweetener, oats, baking soda, salt, grated coconut
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In small bowl mix nuts, seeds, fruit
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Add small bowl mixture to large bowl and mix
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In a saucepan, melt coconut oil and add honey, mix well
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Add to large bowl of ingredients and mix well with your hands
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Press combined ingredients firmly flat on top of parchment paper on your cookie sheet
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Bake for 12-15 minutes
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Turn oven off and leave bars for another 10-15 minutes
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Allow to cool on counter top and cut into bars or squares which ever you prefer
Recipe Notes
To sweeten this up: substitute 1/4 cup of sugar instead of sweetener and add chocolate chips to mixture before baking. Or why not drizzle melted white chocolate on top for a tasty treat?
Have you made oat or granola bars lately? Would love to hear what you put in yours? Are they healthy or a deserving treat?? If you happen to try mine, tweet or instagram me and I will share it. Always love when someone else loves one of my recipes as much as I do. Don’t have time to try this pin one of the photos to your pinterest board for later!
Easy Healthy Breakfasts
I have always been a small breakfast kind of girl so a healthy oat bar and decaf soy latte or spinach and kale smoothie is my breakfast most days. If it’s not in oat bars its crumbled over some fresh greek yogurt and fresh berries, or on top of my overnight oats. These make the best summer time breakfast combinations. Your options are endless.
If you are anything like my family these oat bars will be gone in seconds. We don’t keep things I bake in the house very long. I usually wrap a few different containers up for the neighbors too. I am not sure if they love me for the goodies or hate me for their new waistlines but I love to share!
Brilliant! I am also trying to be healthier and find healthier alternatives to my favourite snacks (M&S mini flapjacks being the most dangerous!). I try to bake things with healthy ingredients (banana muffins in the oven now) but they still have too much fat and sugar… Will give these a try. Thanks!
Oh to me these taste exactly like flapjacks without the sugar and fat. Lol no sugar no butter bonus!!!
I’m like you, love an americano in the morning, but nothing beats a yogurt with granola as breakfast #2! Will have to make these for my little guys lunches, probably nut free but there are loads of things to put in these bars!
#TastyTuesdays
.:Marta:.
Oh yes so true you can put anything in them. Coffee first before food for me any day. Lol
Those look so lovely, I will have to give them a try as I am trying to eat healthier at the moment
Thanks Nikki. Oh yes quick and easy and so tasty. What a great combo. lol Let me know what you think.
Yum! Saving these! Will need to go on a massive health kick once this baby’s born to lose my baby weight… These look perfect!
Thanks hunny. Oh yes I live off this the last week. They really fill you up too.
These look lovely and so, so moreish! Just my kind of treat x
Oh they are amazing I was so surprised when you cut the sugar and butter out I thought it wouldn’t taste as good. Thanks. Try them out let me know what you think.
These look good. I´ll definitely have to give them a try.
#twinklytuesday
I love your hashtag. lol Yes do and let me know what you think. Thanks hun.
These look utterly delightful, your post really resonated with me. The last few weeks have seen me eating too much sugar and I’ve taken a stand today-the next 6 weeks is about cutting out sugar and eating really well. I’ve always been healthy but I do love chocolate a bit too much and I feel terrible when I don’t eat well. These will make such lovely gifts too. I adore your styling and photography as always. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Thanks darling that means a lot to me. I am the same way too much crap in my diet. And it never makes you feel good especially how busy we are both we need to take care of ourselves. lol Thanks for hosting. These are great as they don’t have sugar or butter in them like normal ones. Just natural honey and organic coconut oil. YUMMY!
These look fantastic. I love the way you’ve preented the bars! #TastyTuesday
Thank you. They make a great gift wrapped up with parchment paper and twine. So tasty too.
These look delicious and the photography is perfect Jenny! x
Oh thank you so much hunny. They are so easy to make and great to wrap up for pressies too. I am think Christmas hampers this year. Hahaha
These look lovely and a great alternative to my usual flapjacks