These simple, utterly delicious and energy-boosting Lemon & Poppy Seed Yogurt Granola Bars make the perfect grab-n-go breakfast and an ideal treat for when those sugar cravings kick in!
Typically seen in cakes and other baked goods, I thought I'd put my own little twist on the lemon and poppyseed combo that we all know and love to give you these beautiful, zesty granola bars.
They're sweetened using raw honey and just a small amount of coconut sugar, require only a few ingredients and are full of healthy fats, protein, soluble fibre, antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, manganese and selenium. Overall, they are extremely nutrient-dense and make a great immune and energy-boosting breakfast or snack.
Personalising the granola bars
The beauty of these granola bars (and granola in general) is that they can be personalised according to taste, allergies or ingredients you already have at home. Here are a few ingredients I used that you can substitute...
Sunflower seeds:
I've used sunflower seeds to add crunch and extra nutrients. They're a great option if you're allergic to nuts but can be substituted with your preferred choice of seeds. Pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds are all great alternatives.
If you do eat nuts, you can substitute or even add some chopped nuts to the mix. Almonds, cashews and walnuts all work well.
Desiccated coconut:
These add texture and a light sweetness to the bars, which works nicely with the rest of the flavours but they can be emitted or replaced with more seeds and/or chopped nuts.
Sunflower seed butter:
Sunflower seed butter is used as a binder for these bars and again, is a great option if you're allergic to nuts.
It can, however, be substituted for a nut butter, like cashew or almond butter.
Coconut yogurt:
Once the bars have set, they're dipped in coconut yogurt. Coconut yogurt is used to keep the bars dairy-free, but some other dairy-free yogurts you could use include almond, oat or soya.
If you eat dairy, you can use Greek yogurt for extra protein.
Alternatively, you can replace the yogurt with some melted dark chocolate or eliminate it completely.
Want to make them vegan*?
Replace the honey with maple syrup! The rest of the bar is all vegan!
Lemon & Poppy Seed Yogurt Granola Bars (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan*)
Yields: 12 bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes, excluding setting time
INGREDIENTS
For the bars:
150g gluten-free rolled oats
50g puffed brown rice or Rice Krispies
50g desiccated coconut
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp poppy seeds
50g sunflower seeds
Zest of 1 organic lemon
6 tbsp raw honey
6og extra virgin coconut oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
2 tbsp sunflower seed butter
For the topping:
130g coconut yogurt
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
Extra poppy seeds and lemon zest
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and add oats, puffed brown rice and desiccated coconut, spreading evenly into a single layer. Lightly roast in the oven for 6-8 minutes, until slightly golden.
2. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, along with the salt, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds and lemon zest and mix.
3. In a saucepan, melt together the honey, coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract, coconut sugar and sunflower seed butter over a medium-low heat until smooth and thick. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
4. Transfer the mixture to a lined baking tin and press down firmly using a rubber spatula or your hands. The longer you press, the better the bars will hold together. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes to set.
5. To make the yogurt topping, mix all of the topping ingredients, apart from the poppy seeds and lemon zest, together in a bowl. Once the bars have set, remove from the fridge or freezer and cut into 12 equal-sized bars. Dip each bar into the yogurt, sprinkle with some poppy seeds and lemon zest and place back into the refrigerator to set for at least 30 more minutes.
I hope you love this recipe!
Love,
Sasha
STORAGE
Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze and consume within 3 months.
