Apple and mixed berry bircher slice

Lately I have been finding that I am so busy trying to get everything done, that I am not eating properly. I spend so much time running after the girls, trying to coordinate sleeps and meal times and kindy drop offs and pick ups that I end up eating whatever I can get my hands on quickly and easily. Biscuits, lollies and other ‘undesirables’ have become an entire food group for me and I am starting to feel the effects. Apart from the empty calories and the extra chub on my hips and thighs, the sugar makes me super irritable. And of course, these quick fixes are never filling me up, so I am spending large portions of the day, HANGRY. My poor girls.😩

Today, I decided to do something about it and whipped up this apple and mixed berry bircher slice. I was inspired by this recipe I found on the Australian Healthy Food Guide website and simply changed it up to reflect my taste, as well as what I had on hand.

The slice turned out beautifully and is absolutely delicious. It is packed full of healthy ingredients as you will see, is not super sweet, is low in fat and high in fibre. It would be perfect as a breakfast on the go, a lunchbox treat or a delicious little something to go with morning tea.

Evelyn absolutely loved these and also enjoyed the fact that they were healthy. Grace also got stuck in, I crumbled up a small piece for her and she devoured it. Winning! 🙌 (Note, if you are planning on giving to a little one less than 12 months, omit the honey).

This is a great recipe to make using a Thermomix if you have one. If you don’t, a large bowl and an electric mixer will do the trick!

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INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chia seeds
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup yoghurt (I used plain but you could use whatever you have on hand – berry or honey yoghurt would be delicious!)
2 eggs
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen mixed berries, washed (plus a handful extra to add to the top of the slice)
icing sugar (for dusting)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 portions

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HOW TO

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 24cm slice tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Place eggs, yoghurt and oil in a bowl and use an electric mixer to combine.

Add the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey and chia seeds to the egg mixture and use an electric mixer to combine. If you are using a Thermomix be sure to set the rotation to reverse to avoid chopping up all the rolled oats. You should get a thick and sticky batter.

Next, add the frozen berries and diced apple and using a spatula, gently fold the fruit through. I found it easier to transfer the mixture out of the Thermomix bowl for this step as the blades get in the way when y0u try fold the fruit through with a spatula. If you had been preparing using an electric mixer, just add the fruit to the existing bowl.

Transfer the mixture to the lined baking tray and place the reserved frozen berries on the top of the slice.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for at least five minutes in the tray before removing to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Dust with icing sugar, slice into bite size portions and enjoy with a cup of tea! Or pop in your lunchbox! OR!! Eat for breakfast! ENJOY!! 💜