An easy formula how to make and customize homemade protein bars by choosing a binder, nutrient and crunch, plus a recipe for a cherry vanilla protein bar.
Pop the uncooked quinoa.Pour uncooked quinoa into a strainer and rinse through. Pour the quinoa into a dry pan (no oil), and turn on the heat to medium high. Stir the quinoa around the hot dry pan until the quinoa begins to dry and pop slightly. After a minute or so, when the popping sound stops, turn off the stove and pour the popped quinoa into a container. When done popping, the quinoa will be a bit brownish and smell nutty. Don't burn it. A popped quinoa kernel is tiny; it does not pop fat like corn.
½ cup quinoa, uncooked, and rinsed
Make the Bars
You can mix up the bar mixture by hand in a bowl, or you can put it into the food processor. You want a texture that is crumbly, lumpy and damp.
1 cup almonds, raw, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup sesame seeds, ½ cup quinoa, uncooked, and rinsed, 1 cup dried cherries, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, pinch salt
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten it evenly.
Chocolate Topping
Melt chocolate chips (60% cacao or higher) in the microwave at 60 seconds. Pour it over the uncut bars.
1 cup chocolate chips
Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes or longer. Remove, and cut into bars.
Notes
Generally most homemade protein bars are made of three elements (one or more of within each group):
Binder (dates, nut butters, maple syrup or other liquid sweeteners), typically ½ to 1 cup each
Nutrient (oats, quinoa, buckwheat groats, protein powder) , typically ¼ cup to ½ cup each
Crunch (seeds, nuts, cacao nibs, chocolate chips), typically ½ cup to 1 cup each
Don't use a blender or food processor. Use a bowl to mix up your bars. If you process too long you'll release the oils in your nuts or seeds and create a 'butter' of your protein bar.Don't use a blender or food processor. Use a bowl to mix up your bars. If you process too long you'll release the oils in your nuts or seeds and create a 'butter' of your protein bar.Be sure your dried fruits are fresh. Check dates or dry them yourself. You want to be able to store your bars so don't start off with stale ingredients.Why quinoa? Uncooked quinoa is an awesome choice for the nutrient of a protein bar. is one of the few plant foods that offers a complete protein profile, all nine of the essential amino acids your body cannot produce. Quinoa is high in protein, but also fiber, iron, zinc, copper, thiamin and vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and folate. One cup of quinoa yields 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.