Crunchy quinoa granola bars
As much as I'd like to go ahead and write up the ramble bouncing around in my head on this morning's trail run, I've got nothing but another quick & simple post today. Day-to-day life continues to pick up the pace, threatening to leave my brain behind. I'm excited to share, however...my first recipe for Ancient Harvest is officially up! Quinoa crunch snack bars: hearty and somewhat chewy, like a Clif bar, and perfect for back-to-school. I can't share the recipe myself, but you can get it here, at the Ancient Harvest site. And, I can give you this yummy, crunchy granola bar recipe that came about in the "trials". It's a little--ok, maybe a lot-- more decadent than the published snack bar. This "spinoff" tends to be crunchy crumbly, and you may want to watch yourself around the pan. But, like everything homemade, you know exactly what goes in, and to me that makes it easier to both set boundaries and feel better about what you're eating.
Experimenting for Ancient Harvest has been so much fun, and I have to say, the products make going gluten-free seem "easy". I'm wary of saying that, because while I'm not on a gluten-free regimen, I do understand it's anything but easy. I've learned from my friends with celiac disease, the numerous gluten-free options popping up can be ironically deceptive, catering more to those who are gluten-free by choice than necessity. For the latter, the frequent cross-contamination and risk of lax standards can be nothing less than toxic. For home-cooked meals including just about everything from pancakes to pasta, however, Ancient Harvest seems to have an answer, and the best part is, the solution can be healthy and delicious and it needn't be any more complicated or time-consuming than the gluten-filled original! I'm looking forward to rounding up recipes to link as they appear on the site, along with more variations that materialize along the way. (Thank you, Ancient Harvest, for the inspiring opportunity to create and play! )
Crunchy quinoa granola bars Yield: 12 bars (approximately 4.5 X 2 inches) Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
- 2 heaping cups Ancient Harvest quinoa flakes
- ½ cup millet
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- dash sea salt
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- In a large, dry saucepan, toast the raw millet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until it turns golden brown and the grains become fragrant (a bit like popcorn).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a ceramic or glass 9X13 inch baking dish.
- Place all ingredients except for chocolate chips in a large saucepan. Cook gentle on medium-low, stirring continuously to evenly blend, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips.
- Press mixture down into prepared pan.Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are beginning to brown. Let cool slightly. Gentle cut into bar shapes, leaving in pan. Allow to cool completely before removing.