Healthy Muesli Slices with Almonds
I love to make a batch of these healthy muesli slices for easy snacks during the week. They’re super quick to make, and easily customisable with your favourite ingredients, so they can be made gluten and nut free. They’re sweetened with only natural sugars and are oil free, making them a much healthier choice than store-bought bars!
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Healthy muesli slices with almonds
These muesli slices are a great option for healthy snacks, lunchboxes or a quick breakfast. We’re big on prepping in our house, so I’m always trying out new flavour options for our firm favourites. Some kind of healthy oat bars are always on rotation, and this almond-y flavour combination has become our bar of choice lately.
It’s sweet and slightly spiced, with plenty of crunchy almonds running through it. Although I normally mix it up with different combinations of nuts, seeds, and butters, I went all in with the double almond and didn’t regret it- it’s so delicious!
Making our own healthy muesli slices saves so much money on buying them from the store, and takes barely any time at all. These ones come together in only 30 minutes, and 20 minutes of that is cooking time. Not only are they cheap and quick, but by making our own we know exactly what is in them.
Are vegan muesli bars healthy?
These homemade muesli bars are totally healthy, but sadly not all muesli bars are made equal! A lot of store bought muesli bars and traditional recipes contain added sugars, butter and other oils. Of course this is okay if you’re looking for a bit of a treat, but isn’t a great option for regular snacking.
Are muesli bars high in sugar?
Muesli and oat bars are often high in sugar. Sugar is okay if it comes from whole, unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. But it is not so great when it is in the form of added sugars, which come with no other nutritional value.
To sweeten these bars, I have used dried dates and apricots. These add plenty of sweetness to the healthy muesli slices, but also provide a lot of fiber, as well as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. So you can snack on these bars knowing it’s all goodness!
How about oils?
To help these healthy muesli bars stick together, I’ve opted for using almond butter. Nut butter is a healthier alternative to refined oils or solid fats such as butter.
Much like with sugar, obtaining fat from whole food sources is much better for us, as it comes with a wealth of other healthy nutrients. Nut and seed butters contain fiber, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, making them a far healthier alternative.
What other ingredients are in healthy muesli slices?
Asides from dates, apricots and almond butter, there are just a couple of other whole ingredients which mean these healthy muesli slices will really keep you going!
- Oats- Would it really be a muesli bar without oats? Rolled oats are a great base for so many vegan snacks, as they’re one of the healthiest grains out there. They are full of soluble fibre, which helps to keep you full for longer, meaning you are less likely to reach for more unhealthy snacks. Not to forget that they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
- Chopped almonds- Almonds add extra protein, healthy fats and fiber to these bars, as well as a whole host of other nutrients. It’s best to use almonds which still have their brown skin on, as it contains heaps of antioxidants. Protein combined with fiber will work to keep your energy levels up for hours!
How to make healthy muesli bars
It’s important to soak your dried fruits prior to making these healthy muesli slices, so that they easily break down into a paste. Soak them in some warm water for about half an hour before you start.
To make the muesli bars, start by roughly chopping your almonds. You can do this by hand, but I like to do it in the food processor or blender as this speeds up the job. I’m using my trusty Ninja 3-in-1 for this, as it’s super powerful and speedy. You want to keep the almonds in relatively big pieces, as this means they are nice and crunchy in the slices.
Transfer the almonds to a large mixing bowl, and add in the dates and apricots to the food processor, along with 60ml/.25 cup of the soaking water. If you don’t have a food processor, you can add these to a bowl and use a stick blender instead. Whizz them up until it resembles a chunky syrup- you want some small pieces of fruit to remain.
Add the blended dried fruits to the bowl with the almonds, along with the oats, almond butter, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and salt. Mix everything well (I tend to use my hands here) until it comes together into a sticky ball.
Line a 20cm baking tray, cake pan, or oven-safe dish with baking paper. Add the mix, and press it down firmly into an even layer. This stage is really important, because if you don’t press it firmly, the slices may fall apart.
If you’d like, you can push some extra almonds and oats into the top.
Transfer the tray to the oven, preheated to 200 degrees (fan 180) for 20 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool slightly before slicing into 12 healthy oat bars. Make sure you do this whilst they are still warm, otherwise they will become hard to slice.
Customise your healthy oat slice!
One of the best things about these bars is that they are just so versatile! This double almond variety is my favourite at the moment, but you can use your favourite ingredients, or switch them out to suit your dietary requirements. These are some of my ideas for tasty substitutions:
- Oats- these healthy muesli slices can be made completely gluten free, if you substitute the oats for a certified gluten free variety. Although oats are naturally gluten free, many are manufactured alongside gluten containing products, so it’s important to check for this certification.
- Nuts and seeds- Substitute out the almonds for any other nuts and seeds. Try cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. If you go for seeds, you won’t need to chop these up.
- Nut and seed butter- You can substitute the almond butter for any nut and seed butter, such as peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or even macadamia nut butter.
- Other additions- You could add in any of your favourite additions to these bars. Try dried fruit, desiccated coconut, chia seeds or even dark chocolate chips (just make sure they’re dairy free!). If the mixture seems a little bit too dry, you can add in a touch more nut butter or a drizzle of melted coconut oil.
Can I prepare vegan muesli bars in advance?
These slices are ideal for meal prep, as they can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store the sliced bars in an airtight container in the fridge, to keep them fresher for longer.
How to store healthy oat bars in the freezer
These healthy oat slices are freezer friendly for up to 3 months. They are best if they are defrosted overnight in the fridge, but if you are in a rush, you can keep them out at room temperature for a couple of hours. Keeping them in the freezer is a great option for having a handy snack to hand!
Looking for other healthy snack ideas?
You might like…
- These cashew coconut snack bars or date flapjacks.
- This Mediterranean dip with roasted peppers and aubergine.
- Chocolate peanut butter bliss balls or chocolate oatmeal cookies.
- Or these crispy miso roasted chickpeas.
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Healthy Muesli Slices with Almonds
Ingredients
- 150 g almonds ~1 cup
- 80 g pitted dates* ~½ cup
- 80 g dried apricots* ~½ cup
- 60 ml water ¼ cup
- 125 g oats** ~1½ cups
- 125 g almond butter ~½ cup
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°/fan 180°. Line a 20cm baking tray, cake pan, or oven-safe dish with baking paper.
- Start by roughly chopping your almonds. You can do this by hand, or in a food processor. Transfer the almonds to a large mixing bowl.
- Blend the dates and apricots with the water. If you don’t have a food processor, you can add these to a bowl and use a stick blender. Whizz them up until it resembles a chunky syrup- you want some small pieces of fruit to remain.
- Add the blended dried fruits to the bowl with the almonds, along with the oats, almond butter, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and salt. Mix well until it comes together into a sticky ball.
- Add the mix to your lined baking dish, and press it down firmly into an even layer. If you’d like, you can push some extra almonds and oats into the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Slice into 12 pieces whilst still warm.
Notes
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