Crispy Quinoa Chocolate Bars
Oh my goodness, are these bars a treat.
Do you ever have a craving for something like a Nestle Crunch bar, but don’t like the sugary awfulness of crappy candy? (And recognize that eating something like that just makes you want more and more? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Traditional candy bars are truly designed to make you fail.)
This well-balanced snack satisfies a craving for crunchy sweet while also fueling you for a few hours before your next meal.
What’s the secret? Whole grains for fiber, extra dark chocolate for fat, and nut/seed butter for protein + fat.
Prep time 1 hour (mostly inactive!)
Cook time 10 minutes
Serves 12
Ingredients
1 (3-ounce) bar 85% Theo chocolate
¼ cup creamy unsweetened almond or sunflower seed butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup popped amaranth
2 tablespoons uncooked quinoa
2 tablespoons sliced almonds or sunflower seeds
Pinch of coarse sea salt
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Directions
Line a standard-size loaf pan (about 8 ½ x 4 ½ inches) with parchment paper.
Over a double boiler, add chocolate, nut/seed butter and coconut oil. Heat, stirring occasionally with a spoon, until melted and no lumps remain.
Remove from heat and stir in the popped amaranth, millet, sliced almonds/seeds, salt and almond extract until evenly coated with chocolate.
Transfer to the parchment-lined pan and refrigerate until set, about an hour. Then slice into about 12 bars. Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks or the freezer for 1 month.
Enjoy!