Apple and Cranberry Breakfast Bars

To me, breakfast may possibly be one of my favourite meals of the day. I’m not entirely sure why, but there is something about being awake before everyone else, snuggled up in my duvet with a big bowl of something and a mug of coffee that I love. Plus there is no way I could leave the house without having eaten, I just couldn’t function. After all we haven’t eaten for around 7 hours! Our bodies are going to be starving!

However I know many people can’t seem to stomach something tat early in the morning, including my housemates. After a late night chat around the kitchen table about our praise worthy week of 9am library sessions, one point kept cropping up- how by 10.30 they were starving.

This led me to whip up a batch of homemade breakfast bars which they could take with them to the library to ward off chocolate cravings, and keep the nation’s student population learning! (Lecturers everywhere can thank me later)

To make a batch of 12 you will need:

300g of your favourite Muesli
150g Butter
85g Light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
100g Mixed chopped nuts
100g Dried Cranberries
1 small Apple- finely chopped

First line a baking tray with medium depth sides and preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4

In a sauce pan melt the butter, sugar and maple syrup together.

Once fully mixed together, take off the heat and mix in the muesli, nuts, apple and cranberries.

Spread over the baking tray, allowing a thickness of 1cm.

Pop in the oven for 25 minutes.

Allow to fully cool before cutting and boxing up for tomorrows breakfast... or you know... one for now... to test of course.

I know in my house these went down a treat, although yes, a lot did get demolished before breakfast the next day! So maybe keep them hidden in the fridge, and only tell people last minute.

If you are also a good little student living in the library, make sure you eat something for breakfast, even if it is simple one of these bars. Think of your brain like a machine and food like your oil. Your brain won’t be able to keep the power button on if it doesn’t have fuel, and let’s face it, no one wants the feeling of having sat in the library and remembered nothing!