Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Bars
There's nothing better than a crunchy, chocolate-y treat, and these Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Bars are just that. They're the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and totally satisfying. The crunch comes from 'popped' quinoa, which is much easier to make than you'd think (very similar to popping popcorn!) and has a slightly nutty flavour with a crunchy, crispy bite. Whether you’re after a midday pick-me-up or something to throw in your bag for a road trip, these bars are for you.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1-2 tsp oil of choice
- 1 pinch salt
- 200 grams dark chocolate good quality
- 3 tbsp almond or cashew butter
- 1-2 tsp orange or peppermint extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Add the quinoa to a sieve and rinse throroughly with cold water.
- Next, spread the rinsed quinoa over the baking sheet and place in the oven to dry for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat and add 1 tsp of oil.
- Once the pan is very hot, add half of the quinoa (doing it in 2 batches ensures that there’s not too much quinoa in the pan as this can prevent popping). Stir the quinoa frequently to prevent burning. After 1-2 minutes you will start to hear popping.
- After 3-5 minutes, most of the quinoa will be popped and you can decant the quinoa onto a plate or bowl. You can stir in a little pinch of salt at this point. Add another teaspoon of oil and repeat with the rest of the quinoa.
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- Break up your dark chocolate and add to a heat proof bowl; melt using the microwave or double boiler.
- Stir in the almond butter and orange/mint extract if using.
- Stir in the popped quinoa until well combined.
- Pour this mixture into the lined loaf tin and place in the fridge to set for 2-3 hours. Remove and slice into bars! Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy! X