During the week I managed to spare some time and get into the kitchen to create an easy, delicious snack I can carry along with me when I’m feeling peckish and need an afternoon pick-me-up. It’s a no bake recipe and the perfect portable snack for picnics and family outings or in a carry-on lunch all year long. These are a much healthier and tastier alternative to commercial granola bars that are packed full of refined sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup and other additives.

If you’ve stumbled upon any of my other recipes you’ll know that Quinoa has taken the number one spot on my list of favourite, most bought food; I use it for both savoury and sweet recipes that I create. True love right there! I also discovered that it comes in this popped/puffed version which is perfect for breakfast on those days when you’re too short on time for porridge (or whatever you fancy for breakfast).

These bars are loaded with amazing goodness; puffed quinoa, rolled oats, raisins, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and almond butter. They are refined sugar free and naturally sweetened with raisins and (an optional) touch of coconut/maple syrup.

10-12 bars

Ingredients: 

1 cup quinoa pops (I use these)

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sultanas/raisins

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

1 tbsp flaxseeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp sliced/chopped almonds

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup or coconut nectar

Method: 

Start by dry toasting the oats, seeds and almonds separately  in a dry pan over low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes. The seeds will start popping once toasted and the oats and almonds will slightly brown.

Combine the quinoa pops and oats, seeds, almonds and raisins in a bowl. In a separate small saucepan, mix the almond butter and maple/coconut syrup and melt together over medium heat for about 2 minutes until all is one phase.

Add the wet into the dry ingredients and stir together until well incorporated. The mixture should be sticking together but shouldn’t be too sticky to handle.

Press mixture firmly into parchment paper lined glass pyrex/dish, using your hands or the back of a spatula.

Let rest for 20-30 minutes in the fridge, then slice into bars or squares. Share and enjoy!