Brain healthy snack: Blueberry granola bars

Designed specifically to help boost brain health, the MIND diet emphasizes berries and whole grain, among other healthy items. When many people hear the word diet, they immediately think "bland" or "tasteless." Here's a recipe for a snack that challenges that notion, while fitting in with the MIND diet approach:

Blueberry Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups rolled oats, divided
• ½ cup flaked coconut
• ½ cup dried blueberries
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup cashew butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup blueberry jam

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Line 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
3. Combine 2 cups of oats, coconut, dried blueberries, pecans, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
4. Combine maple syrup, cashew butter and coconut oil in a glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 45 seconds. Stir to combine, then stir in vanilla.
5. Pour warm syrup mixture over dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for the topping.
6. Spread mixture into prepared pan. You may want to use some non-stick spray on your hands or wax paper to press mixture into pan.
7. Heat blueberry jam for 10 seconds to loosen and then spread over bars. Crumble reserve mixture over jam.
8. Bake for 20-22 minutes until top and edges are golden and set. Cool completely and place in refrigerator for at least an hour before cutting into desired bar sizes.

NOTES

Have fun with this recipe! For the bolded ingredients, feel free to substitute any dried fruit, nuts, any nut butter and any jam that you may have.