This Quinoa Bar Is A Delicious Go-To Breakfast

Is there anything better than breakfast, that perfect start to the day?

The perfect breakfast gives you a boost of energy with none of the sugar rush. A bite to eat that is substantial but leaves you feeling fit and light. Something that you can mix up depending on your mood.

Breakfast can also be a sacred moment. It is a few stolen moments at the dawn of a packed day. It’s the moment when you decide how to nourish your body that day.

These no-bake quinoa bars make an nourishing, tasty and refreshing breakfast. Quinoa is packed with all nine essential amino acids as it is a seed rather than a grain, making it higher in protein. Because quinoa is so high in protein, it can help increase metabolism and decrease appetite. It is high in fiber to help keep you fuller for longer. Quinoa is a great kitchen staple and an easy substitution for pasta or rice.

These gluten-free, refined sugar-free and oil-free bars are the perfect breakfast. They are best kept in the fridge or even the freezer. You can eat them on the go or with a cup of coffee or a smoothie. You can drown them in ice cold almond milk or crumble them over yogurt and garnish them with berries. However you want to eat these chewy bars, you’re sure to get a balanced and healthy start to your day.

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

Yield: 12 bars
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Ingredients

2/3 cup quinoa
1/4 cup sliced almonds
5 teaspoons shredded coconut
6 dried apple rings
5 teaspoons dried cranberries or sultanas
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon chia seeds
3 dried figs
Small piece fresh ginger
1/2 cup fresh orange or apple juice

Instructions

Combine the quinoa, almonds and coconut into a non stick frying pan and lightly toast over a medium heat. Leave the mixture to cool and then place into a food processor with all ingredients except the juice. Mix for a few minutes before slowly incorporating the juice until you have a thick, sticky dough. Place the dough into a lined dish or silicone mold and flatten with the back of a fork.

You can sprinkle the top with additional seeds or dried fruit if you like. Cover and freeze 2 hours before transferring to fridge.

Photo credit: Yolanda Hinchliffe