These Quinoa Energy Bars are easy to make and the perfect snack to keep on hand for those times you are craving something crunchy and a little bit sweet.
I am officially panicked.
Not because I'm nervous about childbirth. (I'm naturally apprehensive, but I wouldn't call it panicked.)
And not because I'm not ready. (Because I have everything and am as ready as I'm going to get.)
My issue is that my Midwife is going out of town right after my due date and so this baby NEEDS to be born in the next couple of weeks unless I want someone I've never met to be delivering her.
This is something I knew going into it. Being location independent I've been in the care of three different Midwife's in three different cities during this pregnancy. And I knew when I transferred into my current Midwife's care that she had I pre-scheduled vacation and that her stand in would attend the delivery if she wasn't able to be there.
At the time, it didn't seem like a big deal. After all, I didn't know her at that point and didn't realize how much comfort her experience and the fact that she has had 8 children of her own was going to give me.
And, I assumed since both of my boys were born at 38 weeks that there was no way that my third child would dare go over.
And she may not. She may be born at 38 weeks. But the slightly neurotic part of me is freaking out about this as I reach the 38 week mark. Nothing like pressure...
I'm smart enough to know that babies come when they come and their isn't much I can do about it. Other than drive everyone crazy, take my supplements, make the boys laugh hysterically by bouncing on my birth ball and kid myself that what I eat is going to make a difference. (Lunch today - a pineapple! Dinner - Eggplant Parm and a Salad with Balsamic Vinegar!)
Oh, and make labor snacks! Gotta have good snacks right?
These bars are easy to make, healthy and yummy! Feel free to use whatever sugar combo you want and play around with the ingredients. It's a pretty easy basis for bars and I don't think you can go wrong.
Until next time...
Quinoa Energy Bars
Chocolate Chip Quinoa Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds chopped
- 1 cup Quinoa Flakes or rolled oats
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds or sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup chia seeds or ground flaxseeds
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar or sugar of choice
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups millet puffs Quinoa Puffs or puffed rice cereal
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line and 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extent over the side. Set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread almonds, quinoa flakes, sesame seeds, hemp seeds and chia or flax seeds on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, place honey or maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, coconut oil and sea salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly.
- Pour sugar mixture over the quinoa flakes and stir in millet puffs and chocolate chips. Stir well and pour into prepared baking dish in an even layer. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the mixture and press down to flatten. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Invert from pan and cut into 16 bars.
Shannon Graham
I'm obsessed with granola bars right now. I need to try these instead.