Coconut and Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bars {V, GF}

Breakfast Bars are a fabulous solution for those busy mornings – You bake them on Sunday and eat throughout the week.

These bars combine oats and quinoa to keep you full for longer and have a few secret ingredients that make them taste like the best dessert!

I have been making Quinoa Bars quite regularly, following this recipe from simply quinoa. Although I like adding fruits to my Quinoa Breakfast Bars, I wanted to create a different version of it – suitable for winter season, but still packed with wonderful flavors…

I played around with some dried fruits and some other add-ins (as you will see in the recipe) to create a wintery flavor, then added some toasted coconut and raw chocolate drizzle to them (‘cos coconut and chocolate can make anything taste great!) – and so the new Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Bars were created.

These bars are soft, a bit chewy, perfectly moist and so rich in flavor. Although they are not as firm and as easily portable as the ones based only on oats (or the store-bought ones), they are still such a great choice for a school/office snack – just place them in a lunch box. My kids approved! 😉 And  dont’ even have to say they are a perfect oprtion for a quick nutritious breakfast that can be made ahead.

 

What are you waiting? Check the recipe and get baking!

Post your creations on Facebook by tagging me @Culinary postcards – Kulinarske razglednice

or using #culinarypostcards on Instagram.

COCONUT AND CHOCOLATE QUINOA BREAKFAST BARS {vegan, gluten free}

recipe by Iva S. – culinary postcards

Prep time: 5 min > Cooking time: 35 min (not counting time to cook quinoa) > Total time: 40 min

– makes 8 bars –

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked (white) quinoa

1 cup oats

1/2 cup coconut

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ripe banana

2 Tbsp almond butter (can be subbed w peanut butter)

1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

zest of 1 orange

2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp goleden flax seeds + 6 Tbsp water > stirred well and left to sit for 10 min)

3 Tbsp goji berries (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or extract)

 

raw chocolate drizzle (optional)

3 Tbsp coconut oil

3 Tbsp cacao

2-3 Tbsp maple syrup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9″x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine cooked quinoa, oats, coconut, sugar, and baking powder.
3. In another bowl, mash the banana, then add nut butter, flax eggs, orange juice and zest, goji berries and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
4. Add the dry mix to wet mix and combine verything together until fully incorporated. The batter should be thick but moist.
5. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
7. Remove and let cool completely in the pan.
8. While bars are cooling, make the raw chocolate by combining all ingredients in a small pot on bain maire. Drizzle immediately.
9. Let chocolate set (if you are in the hurry, place it in the fridge for 5 min), then remove bars from the pan and slice into rectangles.
10. Bars can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

P.S. If you like more recipes with quinoa, make sure to check these delicious Soft Quinoa and Apple Cookies or these Summery Gourmet Pancakes for a savory treat. For more recipes type “quinoa” in search and choose your favorite!

 

Iva