Blueberry Jam Bars
4 colorsTHE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
Blueberries are my #1 favorite fruit so I’m always looking for more ways to eat them (besides by the handful right out of the fridge). Blueberries are one of the lower glycemic fruits, and they are packed with antioxidants.
A friend of mine, Dhru Purohit, helped me learn that almost all blueberries sold in stores today (even the USDA Certified Organic ones) are hydroponically grown, in plastic containers, on top of plastic weed mat and fed liquid feed through tubes. This means the blueberries never touch fertile rich soil leaving them less nutritious and less tasty.
Through Dhru I learned about an amazing farm called King Grove Organic Farm where you can order blueberries (fresh pending time of year and frozen as well) and these are hands down the best blueberries I’ve ever had. They make great housewarming or otherwise gifts for friends and family!
Now real talk, I still buy blueberries every week from my farmers market or the grocery store, but if you are a blueberry fan like me, I thought you might want to know more about blueberry production.
This recipe was inspired by an AMAZING raspberry shortbread from Beth Bollinger. I experimented to find the best flavors to bring out the blueberry flavor. Hope you love it!
Yields: 8 bars (if using bar mold) or 12 rounds (if using muffin mold)
Total time: 45 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
BOTTOM
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup vanilla protein powder (I use BeWell by Kelly vanilla plant-based protein for baking)
3 tbsp cup maple syrup (or monkfruit syrup)
1/3 cup coconut oil (or you can do olive oil or avocado oil if you are trying to reduce saturated fat content)
MIDDLE
1 cup almond butter (you could also do cashew or peanut butter, I tried both and think almond works best here)
4 tbsp coconut oil melted (it just works best with coconut oil here!)
1 tsp vanilla
TOP
1 1/2 cup blueberries
Juice from 1/2 lemon (or 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp chia or Zen Basil seeds
HOW TO DO IT
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all the base layer ingredients and press into muffin tin or silicon pan sprayed with avocado or olive oil. Bake for 13-15 mins. They should be golden brown on top, but don’t overcook or they will be crumbly! Be patient and let them cool completely (or throw in fridge to cool).
Mix middle layer ingredients together and once the base is cooled, use a spoon to put a spoonful in each bar mold or muffin mold.
Make the top! In a small saucepan, add blueberries, lemon juice, and basil seeds over medium heat. Mash them together. It should take about 5-7 minutes until it is thick.
Combine it all! Add the blueberry layer on top with a small spoon and spread out. Put the whole thing in the freezer for 15-30 minutes and then take out and ENJOY.
Optional to top with more blueberries!
Nutritional Info
Per serving, makes ~12 servings
Calories: 317
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 6g
Net carbs: 7g
Protein: 8g
Fat: 26g
Sodium: 57mg
Sugar: 6g
