QUINOA SNACK BAR RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Combine dates, oats, cranberries, and maple syrup in a food processor. Blend until a sticky paste forms.
• Mix 2 cups cooled quinoa, date mixture, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Line a small baking pan with parchment paper. Press mixture firmly into the pan. Cut into bars.

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-medium/high heat. Let it heat up for several minutes before adding any quinoa
• Add the quinoa 1/4 cup at a time (so you will have four batches to pop). Let it sit in the bottom of the pot, swirling occasionally, until you start to hear light popping, and then swirl it constantly for about a minute until the popping has subsided slightly. Make sure you take it off before it gets brown (this can happen super fast). You don’t want it anything past a toasty golden color
• Once all your quinoa is popped, set aside in a small bowl
• Melt your chopped chocolate in a double boiler
• Add your melted chocolate, quinoa, PB2, and vanilla to a bowl – mix to fully combine
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your chocolate quinoa mixture across the top – you DON’T have to spread the mixture across the entire baking sheet or it will be too thin. Just form a square-ish shape in the middle. Thickness is up to you – but I made mine about 1/2 inch thick
• In a small bowl, stir together your peanut butter drizzle. Drizzle this all over the top of your chocolate and quinoa, and then – using a knife – swirl it around gently
• Pop in your refrigerator for at least an hour (or until totally firm) before slicing. I keep mine in the fridge once they are sliced, but the counter works, too!