Quick & Healthy No-Bake Oat Bars!

I adore the granola bars and oat bars you can buy from shops, but the majority of them are full of sugar and other nasty ingredients that aren't good for you. So recently I've been making my own! They don't contain any gluten or wheat, no added sugar, no flour, nothing artificial!
They're extremely quick and easy to make, don't require baking and they leave hardly any washing up - bonus!

They don't require baking in the oven as they contain coconut oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but a liquid when heated up. It's a lot better for you than other cooking oils too. We also have honey in this recipe, which isn't the best thing in the world but I only use a bit and it's a hell of a lot better for you than sugar. These bars are so yummy, extremely moreish, gorgeously chewy and you don't have to feel guilty after eating them!

Firstly you need to mix 1 cup of a nut butter of your choice, I chose almond with a little bit of peanut butter too (I ran out of almond butter..oops), just under 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat until the mixture has melted and there no lumps left.

Then take the mixture off the heat and add 2 and 1/2 cups of rolled oats and any extras that you want!
I added seeds, shredded coconut, flaked almonds and cranberries to my bars! Dark chocolate chips, raisins or different nuts are some options.

Pour the mixture into a container, make sure you've lined it with greaseproof paper first!

Pop it in the fridge and leave it to set for a few hours.

Take out of the fridge, cut into pieces, share with family and friends, and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS -
1 cup almond butter (or any other nut or seed butter you'd like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 rolled oats
1 cup of cranberries, seeds, flaked almonds and shredded coconut combined. 

1. In a saucepan on medium heat mix the almond butter, honey and coconut oil together until melted and free of lumps.
2. Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the cranberries, seeds, flaked almonds and shredded coconut. 
3. Pour mixture into a greaseproof paper lined container, make sure it's all flat! Place it in the free for a few hours until fully set and solid.
4. Cut into pieces and ENJOY!

Have a wonderful Easter!

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The Benefits Of Lemon

Recently I've started putting slices of lemon in my water, to make it a bit more tasty and also because there are so many health benefits. I already knew a few of them but after doing some research I found a load more, and I have come to the conclusion that lemon is a magical fruit.

1. Helps keep your skin looking clear. Lemon juice contains antioxidants which will help to clear up blemishes and also keep you looking younger. Lemon juice can be applied straight to the face as well, apply it to problem areas (as long as they're not open wounds, or severe acne), leave the juice on for half an hour and rinse. Lemon juice will also make you look more radiant, as it's detoxifying your blood.

2. Boosts your immune system. If you're someone who gets ill a lot, especially if you get colds, (thankfully I'm not like that) then drinking lemon water is a good idea! Lemon juice contains loads of vitamin C, which helps protect and keep cells healthy, maintains the body tissue around your organs and helps wounds to heal.

3. Helps with digestion. Lemon juice will aid your body with digestion and relieve heartburn, indigestion or bloating.

4. Balances your pH levels. Having a good pH balance in your body is important - if unbalanced it can cause problems with the digestive system, immune system, respiratory system, nervous system, muscular system, and many more. Although on their own lemons are acidic once they're inside the body they are one of the most alkalising foods. Drinking lemon water regularly will help reduce the acidity in your body, which could have been caused by a high-fat diet, airway conditions like asthma, drinking too much alcohol, obesity, etc.

5. Stops you overeating. If you're trying to lose weight, or simply by healthier by not snacking so much then the pectin fibre in lemon juice will assist in fighting those cravings.

6. Helps reduce feelings of anxiety or depression. I didn't really believe this one, but lemon juice is supposed to be very calming, even the smell of it can really help.

7. Cleanses your body. Lemon juice helps to flush out any toxins from your body. The juice will help maximise enzyme function, which stimulates the liver and aids in detoxification. It will also help loosen toxins in the digestive tract, due to the high number of minerals and vitamins in the lemon.

8.  Keeps your breath fresh. No-one likes smelly breath! Lemon juice will keep your breath much fresher.

9. Energises you. Lemon juice contains more negatively charged ions, which react with your body and provide you with more energy.

10. Great source of potassium. Potassium is really good for heart health, and also the brain and nerve functions.

So now you see what I mean, lemon is magical.

Try putting it in your water!

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