Incredible Peanut Butter Quinoa Granola Bars

Almost no-bake quinoa granola bars with simple, natural ingredients. Only require a few ingredients and so easy to make!

My pantry is stocked with Ancient Harvest quinoa because I use it at least three times a week. This time, I wanted to do something a little different and unique: quinoa IN granola bars. And yes, it’s uncooked — or rather, toasted in the oven with the oats. Therefore you get crunchiness and chewiness, something that most granola bars out there lack.

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup uncooked Ancient Harvest quinoa
• 1/2 cup creamy all natural peanut butter (or your favorite natural nut butter)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• Optional: 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or dried fruit

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add oats and quinoa to a large baking sheet and spread around evenly. Once oven is preheated, toast the oats and quinoa for 10 minutes. Once done toasting, pour oats and quinoa into a medium bowl and stir in chia seeds.

While quinoa and oats are toasting, make the peanut butter mixture by adding peanut butter, sea salt, honey, vanilla and coconut oil in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir every so often until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then add to the bowl with the oats, quinoa and chia. Stir well to incorporate. If adding chocolate chips, wait a few minutes before stirring in, otherwise they will melt. Another option is to melt the chocolate chips and drizzle them over the top of bars.

Line an 8x4 or 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper; pour mixture in and spread out evenly, then press mixture down in the pan. Place in freezer for 10-20 minutes or until mixture has hardened. Remove bars from pan and cut into 8 bars. Store bars in the freezer or fridge. Enjoy!

Source:  Ambitious Kitchen