This article was originally published on https://www.wellplated.com/quinoa-breakfast-bars/
Posted: December 31, 2017
Quinoa Breakfast Bars with Blueberries
YIELD: 1 8×8 pan
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes, plus cooling
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (from about 1/2 cup dry)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk, any kind you like (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
- 3 tablespoons almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 inch square pan with nonstick spray. Line it with parchment paper so that two opposite sides of the paper overhang the edges pan like handles. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, quinoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (for easiest combining, since the quinoa will be a little bit more moist, I recommend using a rubber spatula and pushing the ingredients around lightly until they are evenly blended). In a separate large bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, maple syrup, almond butter, egg, and vanilla.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir to combine. The batter will be very wet. Fold in the blueberries, then pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 38 to 40 minutes or until thickened and deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Using the parchment paper like handles, gently lift the bars out of the pan right away and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely, cut into bars, and serve.
- Storage: Once cooled, the bars can be wrapped individually in plastic and kept in the refrigerator for 5 days or frozen in a ziptop bag for up to 4 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours before serving. For a larger yield, increase the ingredient quantities by 1.5 and bake in a 9×13 inch pan for 25 to 35 minutes, until deep golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- You can use any nut butter here you like, or sun butter. I used the natural, drippy almond butter that is stored in the refrigerator.
- Make it vegan: Swap a flax egg for the large egg in the recipe; use a nondairy milk and maple syrup.
- Use frozen berries: Thaw the berries and rinse them under cool water until the water runs mostly clear, then add them to the recipe as directed.
- You can also replace the blueberries with 1 1/4 cups of any other mix-in. Try a mix of dried fruits and nuts (chopped if large), chocolate chips, or other diced fresh fruit that isn’t overly juicy.
Adapted from my Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
// All images and text ©/Well Plated.
// All images and text ©/Well Plated.
