To feel great, you must eat great. If you feel great, you work great and makes you more productive at work. I have compiled some easy, healthy recipes for you to enjoy while you are on the go or at home. It will be a three-part series with breakfast, main dishes, and side dishes. The most important, of course, is to get your day going the right way with breakfast.

Whole-Wheat Blueberry Bars

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-by-12-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

To make crust: Whisk together 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat together brown sugar, butter, oil, egg, and vanilla in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Make sure no lumps of brown sugar remain. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Note: The dough will be quite firm.

Transfer two-thirds of the dough to the prepared baking dish. Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and use it to press the dough into the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.

To make the topping: Gradually work enough of the remaining 3 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour into the remaining dough using your fingertips, until it resembles coarse crumbs.

To make filling: Stir together sugar, all-purpose flour, and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Combine blueberries and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat; stirring until the berries begin to exude juice. Add the sugar mixture and stir until the filling reaches a simmer and thickens.

Push down the higher outside edges of the baked crust with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot filling over the crust and spread all the way to the sides of the dish. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Bake until the topping is golden, 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Transfer the baking dish to a rack and let cool, covered with a kitchen towel to soften the crumbs slightly. Cut into 15 bars. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

This seems like a lot of work, but really is quite easy and worth it! You can nibble on these bars for a week and have a quick, hardy breakfast. It will nourish your body throughout the day.

Recipe source Eating Well.

Nutrition Per Serving: 170 calories; 32 g carbohydrate; 4 g fat; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 104 mg sodium

Granola

Ingredients

4 cups dry, old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup cashew halves

9 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

4 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup golden raisins

Directions

In a pot, mix together sugar, honey, and olive oil. Cook until sugar is melted. Add cinnamon and salt. Pour over oatmeal mixture and stir until well coated. Place single layer on a sheet pan and bake at 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Stir a few times during cooking. Half way through cooking add the dried fruit and finish baking. Remove from oven, cool, and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Making your own granola is both healthier and cheaper than purchasing it at the grocery. You can either enjoy this mixture dry in a bowl, snacking on it all morning, or you can pour some milk over it and make a nutritious cereal early in the morning.

Making breakfast can save you time, money, and keep you healthy! These easy recipes, I have found, are delicious and family friendly. Enjoy!

Recipe Source Woman’s Day.

Nutrition Per Serving: 132 calories; 18 g carbohydrate; 6 g fat; 2.8 g protein; 1.5 g fiber; 82 mg sodium

Reynolds and Reynolds is committed to wellness as a way to help employees develop healthy habits that help them be more productive and engaged, both professionally and personally.