Better for you Apricot Choc Bumper Bars Recipe
Makes 12 squares
This healthier take on my favourite childhood snack, bumper bars (a muesli-style bar), has to be one of my new favourite recipes! I’ve designed it so it’s the ideal snack to fuel you before or after a workout, as an easy afternoon snack, or just whenever you feel you need a little sustenance to keep you going!
It truly tastes amazing - well.. I can never pass up the combination of apricot and chocolate, so it was always going to be a success.
What’s Inside?
In this recipe, I’ve included both simple and complex carbohydrates, so your body can get the energy it needs without getting a big blood sugar spike. You can also include more dried apricots, should you wish to increase the carbohydrate content to suit your nutrition needs better - everyone has individual goals and requirements!
I’ve incorporated a few different types of fat in this recipe, such as coconut, ghee and nut butter. These help to keep you satiated, support nutrient absorption, and provide a slow-release source of energy to keep you going between meals or workouts. The amount of fat or fibre isn’t too high in this recipe, so it won’t cause GI distress - making them easy to enjoy before training.
I’ve also added Mitchells Bone Broth Vanilla Protein, which is an incredible protein powder made entirely from beef bones! Don’t be fooled, this protein powder tastes amazing (I am VERY picky about flavours, sweetness & grittiness when it comes to protein powders, so rest assured it is the best!). You can use LARA15 for a discount on your first order.
Why I like this protein:
It’s made with only 3 natural ingredients (no funky fillers or gums)
Contains 27g of protein per serve, with 25g of natural collagen per serve
100% FODMAP friendly, which means you can consume it even if your gut is having a flare-up!
Total body support for joints, bones, muscles, skin, hair, and nails -ideal for any age at any stage!
If you want to make this recipe but don’t have this protein, I would recommend using your preferred protein and playing around with different amounts of oats. If you use pea protein, for example, I would use less oats as pea protein absorbs differently. I have only tested this recipe with bone broth protein powder. r sI o can’t speak for anything else, but be sure to comment on what worked for you for others to see!
Macronutrient breakdown:
I don’t usually add macronutrient breakdowns of my recipes, but I wanted to for this one as I’ve created it for those who may wish to have a healthier snack in between workouts, training, or anytime - and I understand the importance of having an awareness about the amount of carbohydrates, fats and protein you consume, so that you can optimise your performance!
Approx amounts per square (depending on the amount of dried apricot and chocolate added!)
164kcal
7g Protein
13g Carbohydrate (4g sugar)
10g Fat
2.3 g Fibre
You can always change the recipe to meet your needs, but this makes for a satiating muesli bar which gives you the fuel you need to conquer your day!
BUT I’M GLUTEN FREE?
No worries! You can either replace 1-1 with quinoa flakes, or if you have access to them, use GF oats.
BUMPER BAR RECIPE
Slice
1 cup oats (80g)
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (50g)
1/2 cup fine oats (40g)
4 heaped Tbsp Mitchells Vanilla Bone Broth Protein (60g)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup melted butter/ghee/coconut oil (51g)
1 tbsp nut butter of choice (I used hulled tahini) (15g)
1 tbsp honey/maple syrup (20g)
1/4 cup water (57g)
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots (75g)
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (70% and above) (45g)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (16g)
Pinch of salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180. °C In a food processor or blender, add the cup of oats and coconut. Blend until well combined; it doesn’t have to be too fine. Add this to a large bowl, alongside the protein powder, fine oats and baking powder, mix to combine.
In a separate small bowl, add the melted butter, nut butter, honey and water. Mix well. Add this to the dry mixture, stir to combine. The mixture should stick together easily and not be crumbly, so if you need to, add a tbsp of water until it comes together. Add in your pumpkin seeds, salt, chocolate chunks and chopped dried apricots, and incorporate well. Press into a parchment paper-lined square dish.
Bake for 35-38 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. It will harden up out of the oven, so let it cool for at least an hour before cutting it into 12 squares.
Enjoy fresh, or store airtight, or in the refrigerator for up to five days (they won’t last that long though!). You can also store these in the freezer - so they are perfect for meal prep.
NOM
