Homemade Breakfast Bars (Mixed Berry)

True story here – I’m a bit of a slippery person. Throughout life, I’ve been able to get away with way more than my siblings and/or peers at times. I don’t know exactly what it is! I’m not manipulative, and I’m not necessarily calculating unless it’s truly warranted. I think it’s my weird mix of fragility and strength – and how no one ever really knows which one is going to take the lead, or which one IS taking the lead. I never know! It’s probably because I had early childhood loss and sometimes people felt/feel bad for me. And it’s because, mostly just during childhood, I’m always thinking on my feet. And I do work hard when I’m really, 100%, super into something.

Why do you need to know any or all of this? Well, you don’t. If you just came for the recipe, scroll down. If you came for my weird diatribes, lucky you! And if you came for both, lucky, lucky you! The whole point of this ramble is that during my senior year of high school, I felt like I had worked long and hard enough. Mornings were rough, especially when you lived on top of a mountain and had four siblings, so you had to get up at 5:20am just to get shower time. I needed breakfast, and I needed it badly, but I had all but given up on quality morning time.

So my mom would make me breakfast to entice me out of bed. She’d buy those excellent frozen breakfasts with powdery scrambled eggs that came to life in the microwave, and when mixed with velvety cheese and random vegetables. So good! She just had to hold them under my nose and I’d be up and at them. The alternative was always being JUST on time, and having eaten a processed breakfast bar. I’m actually a lot like that these days too. I’m always JUST on time, without ever skating over the line to being late. It’s weird and adrenaline-y. So weird and adrenaline-y. That’s why the kids take the bus now (or in fall). And I regret none of it.

As far as homemade breakfast bars go, they’re more like treats than super healthy breakfast items. That’s ok, though. I pair mine with kale and banana smoothies so I’m sure that makes it ok. Mainly, they’re easy to make, super pretty, and can be pre-made and frozen, and then ready to eat the next morning. Maybe for first day of school? They’re good for everyone – or at least anyone who enjoys cool and creamy yogurty, berry-filled, granola-crunchy recipes. (everyone)

Mixed Berry Homemade Breakfast Bars:

What You Need:

2 cups of vanilla yogurt
2 cups of raspberry yogurt
1 pint of blackberries – rinsed and drained
3 teaspoons of vanilla divided
2 cups of blueberry yogurt
1 pint of fresh blueberries – rinsed and drained
1 pint of raspberries rinsed and drained
6 tablespoons of granulated sugar – divided
3 tablespoons of honey – divided

GRANOLA:
4 cups of oatmeal
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Pinch of salt

Parchment paper
Cookie sheet
9 X 9 square dish

What You Do:

1 – First, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2 – Then, place the oatmeal in the center of the parchment paper, and add the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt on the top of the oatmeal

3 – Next, and with clean hands, mix the granola altogether until well blended, and spread out in a single layer on the parchment paper

4 – Then, bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown and crunchy

5 – Then, remove from the oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack

6 – While the granola is cooling, rinse the blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in a colander under cool water, and turn out on to paper towels to drain

7 – And when granola has cooled to the touch, but still warm, line the bottom of the 9 X 9 pan with parchment paper, and press the granola evenly into the pan – place in the freezer

8 – In a bowl, add the the blueberry yogurt, half the pint of blueberries, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey, mix well and set aside

9 – In another bowl, add the vanilla yogurt, half of the blackberries, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey, mix well, and set aside

10 – And in another bowl, add the raspberry yogurt, half of the raspberries, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey, mix well, and set aside

11 – Then, remove the granola from the freezer, and spread the blueberry yogurt mixture on top of the granola

12 – Spread the vanilla/blackberries mixture on top of the blueberry layer, and spread the raspberry mixture on top of the vanilla layer

13 – Sprinkle the remaining blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries on top of the last layer, cover with foil, and place in the freezer overnight

14 – Lastly, the next morning, remove blueberry bars from freezer, cut into 2 X 3 inch bars, and serve. Enjoy!

Makes 12 – 15 bars

If you’re looking for more breakfast recipes, try my Delicious Brie and Berry English Muffin Appetizers!

Did you ever get Breakfast Senioritis?