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Home » Snack Recipes » Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars

Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars

Published: May 15, 2016 by Wendy Polisi Modified: May 6, 2022 · 776 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

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These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars make the perfect healthy breakfast or snack. They hold up well and are perfect to take when you are on the go!

These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars make the perfect healthy breakfast or snack. These homemade quinoa protein bars will leave the whole family smiling.


Hi everyone! My name is Danielle Krueger, and I am the writer, photographer, recipe developer and taste tester over at The Lean Clean Eating Machine. I am so honored that Wendy contacted me to do a guest post for her!

When I checked out all of the fabulous recipes already featured, I just knew there was no way I could say no, but I’ll be honest, coming up with an original quinoa recipe to present you all with was no easy task.

I wanted to bring you something slightly out of the norm in terms of how quinoa is typically used, and after several experiments and many messes later, I feel pretty confident with what I was able to come up with!

These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars are amazing.

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As someone who is always on the lookout for convenient forms of plant-based protein, the one thing I have struggled to find time and time again was a good tasting, all-natural protein bar that didn’t contain all of the unnecessary sweeteners, gluten or dairy found in most store bought brands.

Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars - These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars make the perfect healthy snack. This gluten free protein bar recipe will leave the whole family smiling.

Often times, I find many of the protein bars on store shelves to be no more than glorified candy, but I knew there had to be a way to pack the same protein punch, without the preservatives, additives and other ingredients that make you say ‘huh?’

These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars I created really came out a winner as far as meeting my perfect protein bar criteria!

Taste-wise, they are delicious, with a chewy granola-like texture and a hint of subtle sweetness. As far as cooking is concerned, this recipe is incredibly simple to throw together.

With 11 ingredients total (including spices), and a short 15-minute baking time, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t give this a try, unless, of course, you are allergic to nuts, in which case I would highly recommend you stay away (I promise to come up with something different for you)!

These protein bars contain only all-natural ingredients, and are also gluten free, dairy free and can be made vegan-friendly. Additionally, each bar comes in at 275 calories with 10 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber.

Really, what more could you want? Healthy, filling and ultra satisfying, these protein bars will keep your energy levels high, while keeping your health on track.

Other Recipes You May Like:

  • Chia Water
  • Salted Fruit & Nut Quinoa Bars
  • Quinoa Granola Bars
  • Cranberry Almond Quinoa Granola Bars

Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe:

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Parchment Paper
  • 8 x 8 Pyrex Dish
  • Plastic Spatula
  • Wire Cooling Rack
  • Pizza Cutter
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If you like this recipe don't forget to leave a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the below comments, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see all my delicious recipes.
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4.58 from 7 votes

Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars

These Quinoa Chia Seed Protein Bars make the perfect healthy breakfast or snack. These homemade quinoa protein bars will leave the whole family smiling.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time16 mins
Total Time31 mins
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Danielle Krueger

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dry quinoa I used white, but you can use any variety
  • ½ cup chia seeds I used black chia seeds, but any kind will work
  • 2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
  • 1 cup rolled oats gluten free
  • ¼ tsp. pink Himalayan salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. cardamom
  • ½ cup raw almonds; coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup brown rice syrup
  • ½ cup almond butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine quinoa, chia seeds, flax seed, rolled oats, cinnamon, salt, cardamom and chopped raw almonds. Stir to combine.
  • In a small, microwave-safe dish, combine raw almond butter, organic brown rice syrup and honey. Stir to mix, then microwave for 1 minute to soften.
  • Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a plastic spatula to thoroughly mix. Wet ingredients may begin to firm up, in which case you will need to use clean hands to knead the mixture together.
  • When finished, transfer your mixture to a parchment lined baking dish (I used an 8 x 8 glass Pyrex dish), and pat down mixture with a plastic spatula to make a single, even layer.
  • Bake on middle rack of oven for 15 minutes.
  • When finished, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • After ten minutes, remove bars from the pan by lifting up the sides of the parchment paper. Place bars on a wire rack to finish cooling.
  • Cut finished bars with a sharp, non-serrated knife or pizza cutter.
  • Wrap cooled bars in saran wrap and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg

Bio:

Hi, I'm Danielle, and I am the author, photographer and recipe developer behind The Lean Clean Eating Machine. Here you will find my natural, whole food recipes that I have created for those who are looking to leave artificial foods behind, without sacrificing taste in the process.

« Lemon Mint Green Tea
Chicken & Guacamole Wrap »

About Wendy Polisi

Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Just Me

    October 07, 2015 at 12:54 am

    can they be put in the dehydrator instead of baking?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      October 07, 2015 at 10:21 pm

      I would assume so, but I don't have a dehydrator so I haven't tried it.

      Reply
  2. Olivia Allen

    November 24, 2015 at 4:10 am

    Is the quinoa cooked first in quinoa Chia seed protein bars?

    Reply
    • Tina

      August 19, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      No you don't need to cook the quinoa because you bake the bars in the oven.

      Reply
      • Stephen

        October 17, 2019 at 8:10 am

        Why plastic wrap? Aren’t we polluting the world enough? Why not store in a reusable container?

        Reply
  3. Nathalie Khriss G. Estero

    April 28, 2016 at 1:04 am

    If I dont have the brown rice syrup, what I replace it with?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      April 28, 2016 at 9:56 pm

      I would use honey.

      Reply
      • Jana Cole

        May 15, 2016 at 6:41 pm

        I looked up substitues for brown rice sugar and one of them is mollases but do check the ratio...
        I think that if substituting by honey you should use much less as honey is much sweeter.

        Reply
  4. Jana Cole

    May 15, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    I am really unsure as to whether the quinoa should be cooked first as the recipe doesn't say.

    Reply
    • Dhwani Rastogi Chaudhary

      July 18, 2019 at 8:50 am

      You can dry roast quinoa till it gives out a nutty aroma.

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        July 18, 2019 at 9:27 am

        Yes! Great tip.

        Reply
  5. JedInTx

    June 27, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    Looks good! Suggestions for substitutions for rolled oats? 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      June 27, 2016 at 9:08 pm

      Quinoa Flakes would work great!

      *Wendy Polisi*

      *https://wendypolisi.com *

      Reply
      • JedInTx

        July 03, 2016 at 8:12 pm

        Thank you! I actually haven't used quinoa flakes before. 😀 Substitute 1:1?

        Reply
  6. PascalEe Ngogo

    November 11, 2016 at 6:16 pm

    I tried the recipe but I think I left it in the oven too long. Also when I cut the bars, they kind of crumbled. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  7. Susan Grizich

    January 09, 2017 at 6:46 am

    My mother has loose teeth and the chia seeds aggravate them. Would it be possible to use soaked chia seeds rather than dry so they are not so seedy?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      January 09, 2017 at 2:57 pm

      I haven't tried it but as long as they weren't too wet when you put them in that should work.

      --
      Wendy Polisi

      Reply
      • Susan Grizich

        January 09, 2017 at 9:15 pm

        I'll try it and let you know how it goes. 1/2 cup chia would be 8 tbsp soaked in 2 & 1/3 cups of liquid. I'll use water and soak them over night and drain them before I put them in the mixture.

        Reply
  8. Ali Flisek

    January 10, 2017 at 4:52 am

    I want to try these. can I omit the honey and brown rice syrup or is that needed as a binder? Also do these need to be refrigerated? thanks for recipe!

    Reply
  9. César Quintero

    June 07, 2017 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    Hi Wendy, good information. I have a question regarding the protein bars, According many sources I've always read that honey should not he heated or it will loose some nutrients, what do you think? Thanks.

    Reply
  10. Amanda

    June 08, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    Do you have the nutritional information for these bars? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda

      June 08, 2017 at 12:24 pm

      Sorry I just re-read it again! found it! 275 calories with 10 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber.

      Reply
      • Amanda

        June 08, 2017 at 12:25 pm

        Sugar content?

        Reply
  11. Kristen

    August 05, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    4 stars
    I thought I followed the recipe exactly but mine turned into a crumble. It's a tasty crumble, but I'm not sure where I went wrong. Any ideas as to what would make them crumble?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      August 07, 2017 at 7:47 pm

      So sorry to hear that! This is a guest post, so it isn't my recipe and I've never made it. Just looking at it, I would guess that it may be the honey you used was different than what she used. They can vary widely in terms of "sticky factor" so it could be that you just needed more. For sure if you used maple syrup it isn't going to hold together as well.

      Reply
  12. Alex

    October 11, 2017 at 3:31 am

    5 stars
    Cutting a square four times horizontally and four times vertically results in 25 pieces, not 8................. smh

    Good recipe though...

    Reply
  13. Courtney

    January 25, 2018 at 6:26 pm

    Wow! Looks yummy and good amount of protein. Wish I could make these but I can't find flax, chia, or brown rice syrup for sale where I live 🙁 I think the seeds are banned from importation. If any suggestions for replacements would be great, but I will look elsewhere for other high protein bar recipes.

    Reply
  14. Tiffany

    February 26, 2018 at 3:41 am

    5 stars
    These looks delicious!
    Wondering if the cinnamon and oats are needed and if not, can I simply omit these two items? -so many food intolerances to deal with (:

    Reply
    • Renée

      April 10, 2018 at 7:55 pm

      4 stars
      I tried these today with these alterations: I soaked the chia seeds in the liquid ingredients for about 30 minutes before mixing in everything else; I used 1cup cooked quinoa; I cut the butter in half and added 1/3 cup all natural applesauce; and I added 1/3 cut Gobi berries. These came out great. A little sweet, I will cut the honey and syrup next time. But they were chewy. Excellent treat.

      Reply
  15. Christine

    November 26, 2018 at 11:59 am

    4 stars
    I prefer basic granola homemade energy bars to any shop bought variety. I don't use much honey as I don't like it too sweet.

    Reply
  16. Suzanne

    February 13, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    These look so good! I've never seen quinoa as a base in something sweet! There are so many fun spins you could put on this!

    Reply
  17. Vanessa

    February 13, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      February 14, 2020 at 3:19 pm

      They should keep for about a week.

      Reply
  18. Jennifer

    February 21, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    The only honey I have is red chili honey. It gives a great pop to the flavor.

    A down side to these is having to pick chia seed out of your teeth for the rest of the day.

    Reply

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