Pack these healthy berry snacks with a lemon zing in your lunch box or have them warm straight out of the oven with a dollop of yogurt for a treat.

INGREDIENTS:

For the base:

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 2 ripe banana mashed

• ¼ cup maple syrup or honey

• ½ tsp  cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

For the berry layer:

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 lemon zested

• ½ tsp  cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1/3 almonds roughly chopped

• ¼ cup sun flower seeds

• 2 punnets blueberries

• 1 punnet blackberries

METHOD: 

1. Pre heat the oven to 180c. Line a slice baking tray with baking paper.

2. Combine all of the base ingredients together until it resembles a wet gravel mixture. Turn out the mixture onto the pre prepared tray and press it in with a spatula or your hands to form a firm base layer. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. To make the top berry layer combine in the same mixing bowl, the rolled oats, lemon zest, cinnamon, sun flower seeds and almonds. Pour over the maple syrup or honey, coconut oil and vanilla extract over the top, stir well to coat all the ingredients. Follow by adding the blueberries and black berries and gently stir to ensure the berries stay whole.

4. Take the tray out of the oven and spread out the berry layer over the top and gently press in. Place back in the oven for 25-30 minutes further.

5. Serve hot with a dollop of yogurt or cold as a snack on the run.

Prep/cook time: 40 minutes

Serve: 6 large bars

Recipe, styling and photography by Bonnie Coumbe. Visit her site here & Instagram here.