Not only are these tasty, they are healthy! Quinoa, masquerading as a grain but actually a seed, is a complete protein, and it’s high in magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants. Combined with the healthy fat from the peanut butter and the vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, and fiber in the oats, these make for a great power breakfast or afternoon snack. Yum!
Ingredients:
- 2 C cooked quinoa
- 2 C raw oats
- 1/2 C dried cranberries
- 1/2 C smooth peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1/2 C skim milk (or non-dairy substitute)
- 1/3 C brown rice syrup
- 1/4 C ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
You’ll need to either have some leftover cooked quinoa on hand, or cook some up before you start this recipe. Two cups cooked quinoa is equal to roughly 1/2 cup uncooked, so prepare that amount according to the instructions on the box. Be sure to let the quinoa cool a bit afterwards.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl together and stir until everything is well mixed. Use some muscle!!
Scoop it all into a baking pan — I used my 7×11 pan, but you can use whatever size you have.
Pop it in the oven and bake about 12-15 minutes. ENJOY!!
Once you’ve tasted them
and they’ve cooled a bit, I’d recommend storing the bars in the fridge covered in tin foil — it will help them to harden and stick together better. You can even cut them into bar-sized snacks and store them separately for easy grabbing and going!
Thanks for providing the new link, Anne. I have updated it.
This looks very good. I was wondering if you could tell me which brands make “raw oats?”
By raw oats, I just mean old fashioned oats (not instant oats)
Just buy the Quaker old fashioned kind!
Where did you get brown rice syrup? I’ve never heard of it.
Whole Foods has it! Or online.
Have you tried increasing the amount of quinoa and reducing the amount of oats? I wonder what the texture would be like…
I made a batch following your recipe. Super delish!
I haven’t – give it a try!
How about publishing the nutritional content and number of servings with your recipes?
I’m sorry – I wish I could, but being in grad school full time and maintaining this blog I just don’t have time to calculate it all
Please let me know if you calculate any of it and I will add it happily!
Hi Mary Kay, Anne P,
I saw this post and thought, sure I have the time. So I’ll work it up based on the recipe as Anne P has it posted.
Ingredients: Calories/Carbs/Fat/Protein/Sodium/Sugar
Ancient Harvest Organic Traditional – Quinoa: 344/62/6/12/2/6
Quaker Oats – Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (Uncooked): 600/108/12/20/0/ 0
Sun Maid – Cape Cod Dried Cranberries: 195/50/0/0/0/41
Publix – Deli Peanut Butter – Fresh Ground: 800/28/64/32/0/0
Milk – Nonfat (fat free or skim): 43/6/0/4/64/0
Lundberg – Organic Orig. Sweet Dreams Brown Rice Syr: 375/90/0/0/175/55
Bob’s Red Mill – Whole Ground Flax Seed Meal: 120/8/9/6/0/0
Spices – Cinnamon, ground: 6/2/0/0/1/0
****14 Small Bars , cut from 9X11in pan (didn’t quite fill whole pan)
Totals: 2483/354/91/74/242/102
Per Serving(based on 14 serv): 177/25/7/5/17/7
Thanks for calculating this!
Could I substitute something else for the brown rice syrup?
I wouldn’t – they probably wont’ stick as well without it!
Hi Arlene, Anne P,
I’ve done this recipe more than a dozen times since finding it!!
I have found that the Brown Rice syrup is hard to find nowadays.
I substitute instead: Molasses (brand: “Slow As” it’s Light/Mild and Pure Unsulfured)
-Since this not ‘Black Strap’ Molasses this has been through 1 process hence the Light/Mild appearance and consistancy. I prefer this over ‘Black Strap Molasses’ due to the bitter and heaviness that one leaves in the mouth.
-Since brown rice syrup would be similar in consistancy, I have had no problem with sticking. But the bars are not solid but moist and bendable.
-For storage I wrap in wax paper and put in Ziploc Sandwich baggies for the fridge. “Grab and Go!”, as Anne P says.
I just made these and added chocolate covered sunflower seeds cause I had em. So delicious. I was obviously eating it by the spoonful before I even baked it!
Yum! Glad you liked them
Would Agave work as a substitute for brown rice syrup?
You could try it, but I’m not sure they would stick together as well?
Hi Ryane, Anne P,
I tried this and it was too runny. So although there was a bit of a sticky factor not enought to get through the baking stage.
It turned out more of a crumbly bar. But hey, I would go well in a Greek Plain Yougurt!
My kids are not usually fans of homemade granola bars but they loved these. And I love that I have another good use for my huge bag of quinoa.