With JTs job, he sometimes misses lunch or dinner, so I went to our local health food stores to pick up some healthy energy bars. I was shocked! The high protein versions could run as high as $5 EACH! That’s absolutely crazy, and they are not even that “good” for you. So instead I bought some quinoa (sorry indigenous people of Peru), sunflower seeds, flax seeds, dark chocolate, dried cherries and agave and came home to search for a tasty recipe. My inspiration came from this recipe in Epicurious but it was purely Barb (from Profiteroles and Ponytails) that inspired the Quinoa addition to this treat, thank you Barb!
I toasted the quinoa so that it popped like pop corn; toasting brings out the nuttiness (hmmm, that’s a coincidence, when I’m toasted I become nuttier too ;-)!) and makes them nicely crunchy and not too jaw breaking.
Note that I updated the nutritional facts because someone asked about calories. Check out the tool I used here.
Quinoa Energy Bars
Makes one pan 10″ x 13″ (25cm x 33cm), cut into 20 bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups toasted quinoa (or you could buy the commercially puffed quinoa, which is like puffed rice)
- 1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, slightly roasted in a frying pan
- 2 cups uncooked oatmeal, old-fashioned or instant
- 1/4 cup partly ground flax seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit
- 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter, organic, just peanuts
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup agave syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup water
Directions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 121° C or 250° F.
- Prepare a 10″ x 13″ pan by lining it with parchment paper, enough to have the sides come up as ‘handles’.
- Add the quinoa to a hot dutch oven (you will need the high sides) and stir as the quinoa pops. Keep stirring so it doesn’t scorch. This volume will take about 10-12 minutes. The quinoa pops like corn, but not nearly as aggressively, but you do need the high sides of the pan, otherwise you’ll be chasing the quinoa all over the place!
- In the same pan, slightly roast the sunflower seeds. Combine with the puffed quinoa, oatmeal, flax and cherries. Set aside.
- In a micro-wave proof bowl, add the peanut butter, brown sugar, agave syrup and chocolate chips and microwave on a low setting until chocolate and sugar have melted . Add the water and stir well.
- Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well (I used a very large bowl with a wooden spoon). You want to make sure that everything is coated with the wet ingredients.
- Pour the combines ingredients into the prepared pan and press evenly into all corners (I used a glass as a rolling pin). Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool about 10 minutes, carefully remove from the pan with the parchment handles onto a cutting board and cut into 20 slices. Allow to cool completely before storing in an air tight container in the freezer.
Notes: depending on how dry your house is, you may need to adjust the wet ingredients as the final product can be a bit crumbly (so say the comments on Epicurious). That’s why I added the water and baked it out. Mine came out nice and tight and even after freezing wasn’t crumbly.
Hi Eva,
Love these! Made them last night. I halved the recipe because I didn’t have enough quinoa. Anyway, any idea how many calories a serving would have, and any idea what serving size we are talking about? Thanks heaps!!
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Hi Courtney, I am very happy that you made them. No, I don’t have a calorie count, sorry, but I’ll try to update the post with one.
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Will share these with my healthy family members.
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Thanks Ruth. My hubby loved them, felt rather full with one.
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[…] Quinoa Energy Bars […]
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Truly a superfood! We love quinoa a multitude of ways! xo
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Thank you, it’s quite different toasted, it brings a very nice texture to the bar.
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No, I didn’t get the commercially puffed quinoa. I have seen it in our local health food store as a breakfast cereal (very expensive), but I just toasted them as you suggested in your recipe. I love the taste of toasted quinoa!
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I regularly toast the quinoa Michela, even if it’s just cooked. I do it to barley too, it just tastes better!
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Hi Eva, I finally made your quinoa energy bars and they are amazing! Very flavourful and filling. Perfect for an active afternoon out. I added the 1/2 cup of water as you suggested and I’m glad I did. I think the recipe would have been a little dry and crumbly without it. We’ve gone through a third of the bars already and the rest are waiting patiently for us in the freezer for the next time we need a tasty, hearty snack. Thanks again!
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Thanks for letting me know Michela, I am so happy that you enjoyed it. Were you able to get the commercially puffed quinoa, or just the home method? I think the commercially puffed one might be a bit different texture. I wish I had brought one to work today, it would have made a tasty snack after my workout.
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I’ve been told by Liz that the quinoa available for us is from Israel, so forget that newspaper link I posted a while back. Guess it’s time to power up with some quinoa bars now!
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I need a new supply, so I thank you kindly. I was feeling really guilty about the stuff I had. I’ll keep a look out for the Israeli kind.
I just did a little google search and apparently, we grow it in Canada too! They claim they are organic, but that doesn’t mean GMO free.
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These look fantastic Eva – I hate commercial energy bars! Well, that’s not entirely true. There’s a company called… er, “Natural” I think, which makes a divine one with almond, coconut, dried papaya and puffed rice, coated in a white chocolate/yoghurt type stuff. That one is really good but I agree that in general they’re terribly expensive and not worth it at all. Yours look really good – I love the little white dots of quinoa inside and the chocolate chips – yum! Great way to stave off some hunger, although if my job meant regularly missing lunch and dinner…. well, I’d be looking for a new job! “Ain’t nothing getting between Charles and his meals!”.
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Thanks Charles! I had to laugh out loud at the last sentence! I’ll experiment with other inclusions when we’ve gone through this set. I was thinking coconut might be nice too, and if I could find actual puffed quinoa it would add another texture.
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Puffed quinoa… now there’s a delicious snack idea… does it exist? I’ve never seen it I think… I wish it was possible to puff rice at home. Kelloggs would be out of business in a second!
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Yes indeed there is Charles, the first time I had it was on sushi, it added quite a lovely textural experience, little tiny puffs. I haven’t seen it in stores here, but then again I haven’t looked all that hard. But I will. This is what they look like:
http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/grains/quinoa/puffs.html
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PS…back to let you know that the Coeur a la Creme is definitely a dessert…kind of reminiscent of a soft cheesecake filling. BUT, I think a savory version would make an amazing appetizer! I may have to work on that 🙂
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Thanks Liz, I’m looking forward to it.
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What a gorgeous use of quinoa, Eva!
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Thanks SM.
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I’m so glad you’ve posted this.. and I hope they kept you filled during your recent snow storm. Honestly, the strangest weather patterns keep happening! I’m glad you posted this.. I’ve just spent my life savings on these darn “energy” bars that seem to be filled with more sugar every time I taste them. I’ll have to give this one a go!! xx Smidge
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Thanks Barbara, it really makes me mad when they mislead with the claims. I’m glad you like this one, my husband LOVES them.
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Hi Eva! How are you? Hope the storm wasn’t too bad!
Great recipe and I really like the fact that you can make your own energy bars, which would save you money and probably be healthier than what’s available in shops.
I will have to try this, could be good as a packed lunch. How long would they last if I didn’t freeze them! Just out of curiosity, to see if I make lots, how many I freeze and home many I keep out.
Thanks for another amazing suggestion!
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I use to eat energy bars a lot. This recipe is an inspiration to retry them again 🙂 They look and sound great !! Puffed rice variation.., who would have thought! Love it 🙂
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Thank you kindly Judy, the puffed quinoa adds a nice crunchy texture to the bar.
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I know that your thoughtfulness has to be very much appreciated by JT.
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Thank you kindly Karen. He is always very appreciative.
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have never cooked with quinoa.. but these bars sound like just the thing for my hard working crew, especially as they us honey and i have plenty of that!! take care, hope the snow is kind! c
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Thanks C, it’s not kind right now! I’m looking forward to being at home in front of the fire with a glass of wine!
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i think you had better hurry!! c
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Done, like dinner! But I earned it shoveling for an hour!
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Ah, Eva, you know I’m nutty about energy bars ;-). These look gorgeous and I love your list of ingredients! Funny enough, I don’t think I’ve ever toasted quinoa seeds… I must get on that – sounds like I’ve been missing some fun!
p.s. have they called in the army yet in TO? 😉 (sorry, couldn’t resist).
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Ha ha ha, although our present mayor is as big a buffoon as Lastman was, no he hasn’t called them yet, but there is still time, storms not over yet!
The bars are tasty and in cruising the net I found many people toast their quinoa for regular use too. It adds a bit of a nutty flavour. I even toast barley!
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How much quinoa will I need to get 2 cups toasted? I am not into energy bar, would you believe I never had one, but I think I will try yours as I love quinoa..
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Hi Norma,
They don’t pop up like the commercially popped ones do, so 2 cups = 2 cups
Hope you like them.
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Miss A would be all over these bars! She is a bar junkie. She eats one the second she wakes up in the morning and then has another mid-day. When we’ve been out of them in the house, she is none too pleased. I like the addition of quinoa to these. I have a lot left to use, so maybe I’ll make Miss A some homemade bars!
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Thanks Kristy. Barb suggested to replace the peanut butter so the kids could take them to school.
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Good call!
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You always take such good care of JT. These sound really good. Now I can’t remember if I toasted the quinoa but I will have to try that next time. I don’t like to use pb so that I can send them with Megan for her school snack.
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Thanks Barb. Oh yes, I forgot about the no nuts rule, you could use tahini instead, since they’re seeds!
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That’s a great idea. I hadn’t thought of using Tahini for granola/energy bars.
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Eva, your bars look delicious! I love puffed rice (I sometimes make it into chocolate bars too) so I’m sure I would love your creation!
Your experience with bars reminds me of many “healthy” but read-to-eat stuff I saw and which didn’t look healthy at all. A small piece of good quality dark chocolate is my favourite super- quick snack when I crave something sweet. I always keep some at home and in the office.
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I had to smile when I read your comment about chocolate, Sissi, it’s so very Swiss!
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I’m definitely going to have to try these bars Eva! Hubby always asks me to make him energy bars and I’m happy to oblige 😀
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Thank you Lorraine, I’m looking forward to your version.
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What a good idea and I’m sure these didn’t cost anything like those bars in the stores. I love the look of these and I’m sure JT was very happy – a perfect snack xx
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Thank you Charlie, yes JT has them every so often and always comments how much he likes them. We store them in the freezer as there are no preservatives in them.
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I love these energy bars Eva! Most energy/granola bars are too sweet for my tastes, yours look just right.
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Thanks Amber, we don’t like overly sweet things either.
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Love it! I’m always on the look out on how to use more quinoa. I’ve still yet to use it in sweet recipes.
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Thanks Genie, they were certainly well received!
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I’m sure your energy bars are a lot better for you than those pricey commercial ones and they sound very tasty as well. I like that you post more nutritional versions of recipes while still making them look so elegant.
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Thank you so much Maria, what a lovely compliment.
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Paul is new to the healthly world of food but I bet he would like these too!
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Thanks Niki! Paul’s accomplishment is amazing!
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I love the idea of popped quinoa…and the combination of these ingredients must make the best energy bar ever!!! I have no desire to ever try one of those premade versions
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Thanks Liz, it’s packed full of nutrients and it’s so tasty.
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Hi Eva, These sound fantastic! I’m totally making these this weekend. Thanks for posting your creation!
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Thanks Michela you’ll need to store them in the freezer as they don’t have preservatives. Can’t wait to hear what you think about them.
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I’ve never been one much for energy bars, Eva. Maybe I’ve not tried the right ones but those that I have tried weren’t all that appealing — unless they were sugar & salt laden. I do like the sound of yours, though, Eva, especially the use of popped quinoa to add crunch. I need to try yours. I bet they’ll put all others to shame.
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Thank so much John, the popped quinoa adds a lot of texture and a slight nutty taste; you’re right about some of the retail energy bars taste chemically!
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These look really delicious, Eva. I think I really should go out and try this stuff. I wouldn’t know which of your great recipes to make first, though! 🙂
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Thank you kindly Fati, I would try a traditional use of quinoa first, perhaps this one https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/quinoa-tabouleh-and-a-poached-egg-dock-side/
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These bars are great for post workout! I love them…lots of protein!
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Thanks Angie, my hubby loves them.
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