I have been looking for healthy, relatively low-calorie things to eat for breakfast that also don’t require any effort on my part in the morning. This, unfortunately, seems to be a difficult thing to find. I have posted what few things I have found as I find and try them.

The other day I remembered that Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean posted her recipe for quinoa breakfast bars a while ago. I liked the idea of a bar that I could just grab and eat in the morning, instead of standing over the stove or waiting for something to come out of the oven. After reading through the recipe and finding substitutions for the ingredients  I didn’t have, I came up with the following recipe. Her original recipe can be found here. Hers is gluten free, so if that’s your thing, please read her original recipe. I am friends with gluten, so mine is definitely not gf.

The other substitutions were mostly made for convenience and/or preference. I’m sharing them here in case you also don’t have something on the original recipe; these substitutions were tried and delicious.

This recipe makes 16 squares. It can easily be halved to make less. Just use an 8×8 pan if you halve the recipe, and only bake it for 20 minutes.

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 C. whole wheat flour
• 2 C. cooked quinoa
• 2 C. oats
• 1 C. chopped pecans
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 6 Tbsp. pb2 (reconstituted. Can also use 2/3 C. peanut butter)
• 1/2 C. honey
• 2 egg whites
• 2/3 C. pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. craisins (or any dried fruit)

Step 1: Mix the flour, quinoa, oats, pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, craisins, and chia seeds together in a large bowl. Set it aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix together the remaining wet ingredients. Pour these into the dry ingredients.

Step 3: Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until everything is incorporated. Grease a 9×13 pan. Press  the mixture into the pan. Bake it at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned.

Cut into 16 squares and store in the fridge until ready to grab and go!

Lindsay did an amazing job developing this recipe. It is really tasty and SO filling. I love that I can just grab one out of the fridge and get out the door quickly. Please go visit Lindsay’s site and see her other great, healthy recipes!

The Wife