Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars - Choosing Chia

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Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars

By Jessica Hoffman

Updated Jun 28, 2021, Published May 02, 2021

7 ReviewsJump to RecipeRate Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links.

These puffed quinoa & nut bars are perfect for an energizing healthy snack! These bars are no-bake, can be made fully raw and are naturally gluten-free and vegan.

A healthy no-bake granola bar

These Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars are the answer to when you need a quick breakfast on the go, something for that 3 pm slump, or just something to give you enough energy to make it through your evening workout. These bars are the real deal.

I like to make a batch of these on Sunday for food prep and have them in the fridge ready to go for the week ahead.

When that afternoon slump hits, these bars are a SAVIOUR! (Thank you bars, thank you!!) Needless to say, I’m a big fan of energy balls & energy bars for when hanger strikes! (Because getting hangry is a real thing!)

What is puffed quinoa anyways?

Puffed quinoa is just quinoa that’s been heated until it “pops.” Once it does, you’ll be left with puffy little balls of quinoa. (Think of like popcorn. When the corn kernels pop, they turn into popcorn!)

While you can make your own puffed quinoa, I personally find it easier to just purchase it. You can find puffed quinoa online, at your local health food store, or even at some major grocery chains.

puffed quinoa and nut bars in a baking pan

four puffed quinoa bars stacked on a white plate

Why you’ll love this recipe

These bars require no oven, no baking, and can be mixed up in one bowl for a super quick and easy granola bar recipe!
They are refined sugar-free, vegan and gluten-free and high in protein and fibre. More more protein packed snacks also try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars.
The Medjool dates add a delicious caramel-like flavour and act as a binding agent in these bars so they stick together.
These bars can be stored in the fridge for several weeks, and freeze well.

How to make these puffed quinoa, date & peanut butter bars

These bars are made with ingredients designed to keep you fuelled, and not spike your blood sugar. (like reaching for a cookie or candy bar) They balance carb, protein and fat so you’ll feel completely satisfied after eating one AND it’ll tie you over until your next meal.

Here’s how to make them:

Soak the dates in hot water for 5 minutes then blend together with the peanut butter, cinnamon and vanilla and blend.
Add the dry ingredients and pulse just until everything is mixed together.
Transfer to an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper and place in the fridge to set.
Cut into even bars.

four puffed quinoa and nut bars stacked on top of each other

Recipe tips and variations

These Puffed Quinoa & Nut bars start with a base of Medjool dates. Medjool dates are big and sweet and have a much sticker consistency than a regular date. This makes them the perfect binder for the granola bars to stick together. If you have a box of Medjool dates that aren’t fresh, they might be a little dry. This is why we soak the dates in hot water for 5 minutes then drain. This will help rehydrate the dates and make them “stickier” to help everything bind together.
I use natural peanut butter for this recipe, but creamy peanut butter or any nut butter will work just fine! I’ve tried these with almond butter too and they are also delicious!
You can find puffed quinoa at most health food stores or online. Do not use regular quinoa! It’s not the same as puffed quinoa!
If you can’t find puffed quinoa, you can substitute it with puffed rice.
If there are any additional mix-ins you love, feel free to add them in! These would be delicious with some chocolate chips, dried blueberries or shredded coconut

How to store

These Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars need to be stored in the fridge.

Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (I find after 2 weeks they tend to dry out.) You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months in the freezer, or enjoy them directly out of the freezer.)

Other healthy snacks to try

Almond butter stuffed dates
No-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies
Salted caramel coconut bliss balls

puffed quinoa and nut bars on a white plate

If you tried these Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

Recipe adapted from green kitchen stories.

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Description

These Puffed Quinoa & Nut Bars are no-bake and perfect for a healthy snack!

Ingredients

1 cup pitted Medjool dates
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3/4 cup puffed quinoa
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Soak the dates in warm water for 5 minutes then drain. Add the dates, peanut butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt to a food processor.
Puree for 1-2 minutes until everything is mixed together, scraping down the sides of the food processor as you go. The mixture should be sticky.
Add in the puffed quinoa, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds
Pulse the mixture just until everything is incorporated. Don’t overmix it! You want to have pieces of nuts and puffed quinoa visible after mixing.
Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment or wax paper and press the mixture evenly into the pan with your hands. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
Cut into bars and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Make sure to use Medjool dates in this recipe. They are bigger and stickier than regular dates and will help bind the bars together.

If your dough doesn’t feel sticky enough, try adding 1 tbsp of almond milk to the dough and pulsing together until combined.

Press FIRMLY when adding the bars to the pan to make sure everything sticks together!

You can use natural or creamy peanut butter in this recipe

Can’t find puffed quinoa? You can substitute it with puffed rice.

If there are any additional mix-ins you love, feel free to add them in! These would be delicious with some chocolate chips, dried blueberries or shredded coconut

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 210
Sugar: 12g
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 7g

This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. I only recommend products that I know, trust and love!

Hi, I'm Jess!

Choosing Chia is a blog all about healthy vegetarian recipes that are easy to follow, taste delicious and focus on wholesome ingredients. I started the blog after a spontaneous trip to India where I studied the practice of yoga and wellness.

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39 Comments

Hello, I can’t have any sugar or sugar substitutes at the moment including dates and high sugar content fruits, do you think blended blueberries or strawberries with almond milk would be an alternative I could try?
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1. Hi there! Unforunately this recipe needs dates to help the bars stick together. Blended blueberries won’t make them stick.
  Reply
Can I substitute puffed millet for the puffed quinoa? Everything else is ready to go and I can’t wait. 🙂
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1. Yes absolutely!
  Reply
Hi there I’m wanting to make these but what is a cup quantity wise? I’ve googled and it says 240 g but this does seem alot
Reply
1. Hi Anna, there is a converter button on the recipe card if you click it, it will covert the recipe from US to metric 🙂
  Reply
Hi there. I have stopped using peanut butter due to allergies and as well as that they contain ants that has been proven. For those reasons. Can you please suggest another substitute as I would like to make these for the kids? Love your recipes. Thankyou.
Reply
1. You can make this recipe with any nut butter or seed butter you like Slyvia!
  Reply
Making them on a regular basis ❤️So amazing and easy! Thank you for the recipe it is definitely family approved. If I’m craving something sweet I have one of these.
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1. So glad you enjoyed Pam! 🙂
  Reply
Hello, can you freeze this as well?
Reply
1. Yes these freeze well 🙂
  Reply
HI, I’m so sorry I just noticed your nutrition facts at the top. How big are the bars approx.?

Thank you
Reply
1. Hi Jennifer, the recipe makes 12 bars!
  Reply
It was soooo easy to make ! It tastes SO good ! Husband approved as well ! I melted chocolat on top an I forgot the almonds so I put the melted chocolat on top and sprinkled al the chopped almonds on top and coconut flakes. I will print this out amd it will become a staple in our home to come back to
Reply
1. I think the chocolat on top is helpfull as well because the base can be crumbly and might not hold together perfectly otherwise
  Reply
2. So happy you both enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
  Reply
Hi Jessica, I loved the flavor but was expecting a firmer texture. Regardless, we liked them and think it’s a great nutritious sweet snack. I happened to have a bag of puffed quinoa and I was looking for a recipe to use them. I was reading the other comments, and I wanted to share that I soaked the date with warm water for a couple of hours and I only pulsed those. The rest of the ingredients I mixed them together with a wooden spoon, they stuck together nicely. Thank you for sharing your recipe. M.
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1. Happy you enjoyed them Maritza, these bars are meant to have a softer more chewy texture vs a firmer crunchy texture!
  Reply