I decided to splurge and make these Blueberry Lemon Coconut Bars in the test kitchen. I needed more dessert recipes for the site. What I love about this recipe is that the bars are perfect for breakfast too.
Honestly, the raw batter was so delicious, and of course, without any eggs, I could try it. However, after I cooked them, they were pretty dry but still delish and very satisfying. Still, I wanted them to taste better for you.
So, never fear – I adjusted the recipe from my first try and now they are even more delicious. It does have a little oil (1/4 cup vegetable) which isn’t too much for the whole batch but you may substitute with applesauce if you’d like an oil-free version.
Keep in mind that coconut does have some saturated fat and that may be something you want to stay away from. Try substituting with banana or applesauce.
The lemon really makes it and the addition of fresh or frozen blueberries ups the plant power. You can add a bit more lemon zest if you really want that tart flavor but be sure your lemons are fresh and wash them thoroughly.
If you’re not sure how to correctly zest a lemon, check out this video. If you zest too much in one spot it can ruin the dish with the bitter white pith under the fresh lemon skin.
Is it a dessert or breakfast?! Ponder this over a few more recipes:
- Breakfast Chia Pudding
- Chia Spice Apple Muffins
- Green Berry Smoothie
- Overnight Chia Oats
- Peach Crisp
These blueberry lemon bars will quickly become a family favorite. Perfect for breakfast, picnics, on-the-go or even for dessert. They are easy to make and a fun way to get the family involved in healthy cooking.
This recipe is also a great idea for potluck, new neighbors or anytime you need to bring something for an event. It’s a great way to introduce friends to plant-based recipes.
The batch makes 16 bars and the nutrition label is for one bar.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Blueberry Lemon Coconut Bars! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Blueberry Lemon Coconut Bars
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats ground into flour in a blender
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 cup coconut shredded
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 cup blueberries frozen or fresh
- 2/3 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil. (or substitute applesauce for an oil-free version)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 x 8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds with the lemon juice and set aside to thicken.
- Mix the dry ingredients, oat flour, oats, coconut, baking powder, salt, with the walnuts and blueberries in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients, the apple sauce, vegetable oil (or applesauce), maple syrup and soaked chia seeds in another bowl.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until combined. You may use your hands to make sure all is combined. The dough will be pretty dry.
- Press the dough into your prepared pan, leveling the top with your spoon.
- Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
- Let cool before removing from the pan. Cut into squares.
How is this without the coconut? Can’t seem to eat that.
I hear ya 🙂 Since there is a significant amount in this recipe (1 cup) it could be harder to substitute. Some people recommend nuts which seems like a lot. You could try using almond flour…less than 1 cup, I’d say maybe 1/2 cup. I’d be concerned about them becoming too dry. Baking does become more difficult to wing it. Next time I make them I’ll try substituting and see how it goes.
This recipe sounded so good until I read the nutrition facts. Almost 500 calories per serving, 17 grams SATURATED fat, 62 g. of carbs, and a whopping 21 g of sugar! This certainly doesn’t sound healthy at all!!!
Nutrition labeling is always tricky and not always precise. The nutrition label was off (not enough servings) and I adjusted it to reflect per bar. But, you’re right, there’s still saturated fat and that’s from the coconut & coconut oil. It helps to replace the coconut oil with vegetable (I changed it on the recipe), but healthier alternatives would be applesauce or banana. I’m planning to test the recipe soon to see how it goes. Trying to keep them moist and delicious is the challenge.
Just made my own batch! They are terrific! Turns out my girlfriend didn’t have coconut oil – so the ones I tried originally were made with Olive Oil. I made mine with coconut oil. Super yummy! What a great find! Something that feels like bread and tastes sweet without all the bad stuff!