Wholesome Quinoa Chewy Bars (Printable Version)

Nutritious bars blending quinoa, oats, nuts, and fruit for a wholesome and energizing snack anytime.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
02 - 1 cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)

→ Nuts & Seeds

03 - 1/2 cup chopped almonds
04 - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

→ Dried Fruit

05 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
06 - 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

→ Binding Ingredients

07 - 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
09 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Flavor & Seasoning

11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked quinoa, rolled oats, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and chopped dried apricots.
03 - In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together honey or maple syrup, peanut or almond butter, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and warm.
04 - Pour the warm wet mixture over the dry ingredients, add cinnamon and salt, then stir thoroughly until evenly combined.
05 - Firmly press the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface evenly.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden.
07 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan. Remove using the parchment paper and cut into 12 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They hold together beautifully once you learn to press them down firmly, and theyre actually filling enough to quiet your stomach until lunch.
  • You can throw in whatever nuts or dried fruit youve got lingering in the pantry, so nothing goes to waste.
  • Theyre naturally sweet without that weird artificial aftertaste, and the quinoa adds a subtle crunch that makes them feel more interesting than regular oat bars.
02 -
  • Press the mixture down much harder than you think you need to, or the bars will fall apart when you try to eat them on the go.
  • Let them cool all the way before cutting, even if it feels like forever, because warm bars will squish and stick to the knife.
  • If your nut butter is thick and cold, warm it slightly before mixing so it blends smoothly with the honey instead of clumping.
03 -
  • Toast the oats and nuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes before mixing to deepen the flavor and make the bars taste almost nutty and caramelized.
  • If the mixture feels too dry and wont stick together, drizzle in an extra tablespoon of honey or nut butter and mix again before pressing into the pan.
  • Use a bench scraper or a pizza cutter to slice the bars cleanly without dragging the filling around.

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