Pack these delicious bars for your mid-morning snack or before your next workout.
When you’re craving a less-than-healthy snack, look to these Quinoa Protein Bars instead. They’re a great way to satisfy your cravings while still maintaining a healthy diet. This delectable snack combines quinoa and dark chocolate, as well as other superfoods, to create a tasty treat. It’s a perfect snack for before or after a workout, and it definitely satisfies when that afternoon sweet tooth craving hits.
If you’re on a gluten-free diet, you’ll especially love these Quinoa Protein Bars. Having quick and easy access to a healthy treat that also happens to be gluten-free is like hitting the jackpot! Unlike store-bought gluten-free snacks that are packed full of refined sugar, all the sugars in this tasty treat are naturally occurring from the dates and raw honey.
Superfood Quinoa
Quinoa is one of the most versatile superfoods you can eat. Superfoods are natural, unprocessed foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients. They help the body fight disease and provide it with what it needs to be in excellent health.
As compared to other grains, quinoa contains higher-than-average levels of nutrients. It’s an excellent source of fiber, and it also happens to be a complete protein. That means it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs (just like meat), so it’s a great plant-based way to get your protein. It’s also full of antioxidants and minerals, like manganese, folate, iron, and zinc.
Luckily, quinoa is super easy to cook, too (and we have a few secrets for making the perfect light and fluffy quinoa). Once you let it cool, you can easily throw together the remaining ingredients and whip up a batch of these tasty, nutritious Quinoa Protein Bites. You can store them for several days, so enjoy these as a grab-and-go snack all week long!
Have Some Fun with this Recipe!
To create a little variety in your quinoa protein bars or to accommodate any food allergies, sunflower butter and pumpkin seeds are great alternatives to peanut and almond butters. You can make your own alternative nut butter, or check out these seven healthy nut butter brands if you want a store-bought option. As far as other modifications go, feel free to add the chocolate chips directly to the mixture instead of melting them and drizzling on top. Or, omit the chocolate altogether if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake.
Speaking of sugar, you’ll love the way the dates keep the bars moist without providing a distinct flavor. They’re also a healthy, naturally occurring sugar source. They’ll give you a burst of energy without creating a crash later because they’re considered low on the glycemic index.
TIP: Make this recipe into 20 Quinoa Protein Bites, and you’ve got a snack that’s under 100 calories! For more low-calorie snacks, check out these 100-calorie gluten-free snacks, or curb your cravings with one of these foods.
Quinoa Protein Bars Recipe
Quinoa Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup quinoa pre-rinsed
- 2/3 cup water
- 16 whole dates pitted, no sugar added
- 1/2 cup almonds raw, with skin
- 1/3 cup peanut butter natural, crunchy (almond butter is an option)
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
Instructions
- Add quinoa and water to a small sauce pot, cover it, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Using a food processor or high-powered blender, add dates and pulse until they form a ball. Remove dates and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add almonds to the food processor and pulse until finely minced. Be careful not to process the almonds too long or they will turn to almond flour.
- Add the dates, almonds, peanut butter, and chilled quinoa to the food processor and pulse until the ingredients are well combined. Return the ingredients to the mixing bowl, shape into six 2-inch x 1-inch bars, about 1-inch thick.
- In a small saucepan, add chocolate chips and honey and melt the mixture over low heat or in a double boiler. Evenly spread a thin layer of chocolate over the top of each protein bar, return to the refrigerator, and allow the chocolate to harden. Bars can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
- Optional: omit the honey and add chocolate chips to the food processor when adding the quinoa.
Nutrition Information
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These quinoa protein bars are easy, healthy, and delicious. They’re unbelievably convenient for when you’re on the go, and they can be stored for several days.
Have you made this recipe for quinoa protein bars? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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same here
We have used raw pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds as a replacement. Just as good!
Wendy, Thanks for the tip! This is good to know for those with nut allergies!
Maybe figs (stems removed) or apricots? Dates provide sweetness, so if you go with something less sweet you might want to be sure and add the honey suggested in the recipe.
Ashley, I've used figs the other night, out of dates, and the taste just wasn't that great. I think dates are a must in this recipe!
You have to get past the word 'dates' but I will promise you they are devine in a recipe. My mom made a cake for years that all 3 kids devoured and she wouldn't tell us the 'key' ingrediant until we were adults — dates. Everyone in my family (my own kids) love grandma's 'date cake'.
I'll bet these are good! I've never used Quinoa before.
I agree totally with Jgags14! I make a cake that dates and a ripe banana are the main ingredients and it is amazing. Just give it a try. I swear, you'll become a fan!
MMMM!!!!! My favorite treat!
Yum!
CAN'T READ RECIPE THIS IS ON TOP OF IT
Can't wait to try this. I all ready love quinoa.
These are great on the go snacks. Especially if you need a ore workout pick me up.
These are so good! I was worried it would be too good to be true that they would taste good and be good for me, but it IS true. I used cashew butter and loved them.
Kiki, Thanks so much for letting us know. I'm working on my next recipe for these yummy bars.
My son can't have almonds; will any raw nut do in a pinch?
Lisa, Yes…just about any raw nut will work fine.
I tried this and did not have good luck. I double the recipe. But I evidently did'nt read the recipe through before deciding to do this. I only have a small food proccessor so I could not put it all back in at the end. I kind of neaded and mixed it with my hands. Then I tried spreading it in a pan instead of forming like it mentioned. I burnt my dark chocolate I was going to drizzle on them. When I tried getting it out of the pan it just crumbled. I could'nt form it any longer. I ended up tossing the entire double batch.
Kay, This is one recipe a food processor or very powerful blender is needed. Sorry…they really are delicious.
How big of a food processor do you need? Mine is only a 3 cup. Will that work?
That should work, but you might need to break it up into two batches, doing 1/2 at a time.