Strength and Sunshine

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Recipe ReDux #10 Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein bars

by 55 Comments

This month’s Recipe ReDux has forced me to FINALLY stop my laziness and make my own bars! Yes! It happened. It wasn’t as fulfilling as I thought, but it definitely didn’t take long and was so super easy. Plus it resulted in a delicious snack so there is no complaining there. I’m just happy I can cross it off my recipe bucket list. I’ve crossed off a lot of recipes from that bucket list this summer. It’s great, but it also makes room for many many more things and ideas. That bucket list will never be finished! (But I don’t mind that at all!)


August’s Theme: Bars & Bites For Brown Bags – Whether you pack your lunch in a bento box, a brown bag or a retro cartoon character lunch box, don’t forget the bars and bites. Small squares or round bites can pack nutrition into a sweet or savory taste. Show us your favorite way to jazz up any type of lunch box.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

Here they are, Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars! No baking, just freezing! Like any totally new to me creation, I started out by crossing my fingers and throwing in a bunch of ingredients, hoping things would turn out the way I wanted. You see bar and bite recipes flooding Pinterest and blogs now-a-days so it must not be that hard to figure out. You just need the base ingredients like a grain, something to hold them together, and some flavor. Plus protein it you want to go that route.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

I also opted to just make a small batch. Well, I didn’t really plan on it being small or large. I had no idea how many it would make since I just threw things in a bowl. It came out to be 4 perfectly sized bars. The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, you name it! I guess it can also be halved too if that’s you thing.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

So what’s in these bad boys? Let’s see, we have quinoa flakes, brown rice cereal, chia seeds, coffee, coffee extract, coffee protein powder, apple sauce, just good old clean ingredients. None of those nasty processed fillers you find in the mainstream bar industry. Some of those things are just plain scary. Like Quest Bars…I mean why would you consume “Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Isomalto-Oligosaccharides* (Prebiotic Fiber), Water, Almonds, Cocoa Butter, Erythritol. Contains less than 2% of the following: Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavors, Coconut Oil, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Dextrin, Baking Soda, Steviol Glycosides (Stevia), Sucralose.” Yea, that is the ingredient list to the Cookies & Cream Bar. Those first few ingredients are gross.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

Why sacrifice your body to that, when you can make your own! (Or just buy a better bar. There are ones out there that fit the bill, you just got to look!) But enough Quest Bar bashing, we have cleaner bars to talk about today!

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

Ingredients: (4 bars)

+ 1/2 Cup Quinoa Flakes

+ 1 Cup Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (No-Salt Added)

+ 2 TB Chia Seeds

+ 1 Tsp Ground Coffee

+ 1/4 Tsp Coffee Extract

+ 1 Scoop Nuzest Cappuccino Protein Powder

+ 1/2 Cup Apple Sauce (No Sugar Added)

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

Directions:

+ In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to combine.

+ In a 8×8 baking pan, press the mixture into about 2/3 of the pan as pictured above. Smooth and flatten out the top by pressing the bars down.

+ Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place int he freezer for at least 4 hours. Then remove and cut into 4 bars. To save for later, wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Remove and let thaw a bit before eating.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

You know what’s really good? Microwaving these bars for about 45 second on high and eating with a fork! So good! It is like a warm piece of coffee flavored cake! I really recommend eating these warm, not directly out of the freezer. You can even store them in the fridge if you are using them quickly.

Raw Coffee Quinoa Protein Bars | Strength and Sunshine

So there you have it. Experiment bar done! Healthy, allergy-free, and delicious! Another successful Recipe ReDux in the books! Check out the other member’s recipes below and see what from bar and bite creations they are whipping up!

So tell me:

+ Favorite snack or protein bar?

+ What’s your go-to lunch box snack addition?

+ Fantasy bar flavor? If you make you own, you can make it anything! But I chose coffee, because, well, why not!?

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Comments

  4. Emily @amummytoo says

    These look great – loving all your ideas for protein snacks lately. Your blog theme is looking fab too. Thanks so much for linking up with #recipeoftheweek. Sorry I was slow getting over for this one. I’ve pinned it to my food board and a tweet will go out shortly 🙂

    Reply

  5. kimmythevegan says

    I seriously need to stop buying my protein bars, especially when I can make my own. These sound great! They would make a perfect pre or post-workout snack.
    Thanks for contributing another awesome recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays =) I have pinned this to our Pinterest board.

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Sometimes buying though is just so much easier 😛 I only make them now on special occasions! I am still to lazy!

      Reply

  9. Terra says

    I love your addition of coffee. These bars would be a perfect way to start my day. I travel for my job, so they would be great to travel with. Your recipe sounds delicious! Take care, Terra

    Reply

  10. Sarah Grace says

    I do have to say though that I disagree with you on the Quest bars 🙁 I think they are delicious, and if you stick to the natural line, I don’t see what’s wrong with ingredients like stevia, nuts, fiber, and a protein blend with things like whey in it..

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      I’ll always be a quest bar hater 😛 But it’s not like I can eat them anyway! Haha! 😉

      Reply

  12. Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says

    Love those ingredients, and I actually have all of them. I need to try these 🙂 I totally get you on the Quest bars! I don’t understand why so many bloggers are so ga-ga over them. The ingredient list is horrible! I’ve never actually eaten one though. I am sure you’re recipe is much better.

    Does the brown rice cereal stay crunchy with the applesauce?

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Haha! I know I was so excited when I found out about this protein too! It is crazy awesome!

      Reply

  18. Missy says

    Hi! New to your blog and have been catching up.
    These look amazing — will be good for you for school?
    My fantasies always involve Peanut Butter and Jelly.

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Totally good for school!
      PBJ! That’s an easy flavor to make!

      Thanks for stopping by 🙂 XOXO

      Reply

  23. Pure Grace Farms says

    I am always looking for that perfect healthy snack that tastes great and is good for you too. These look like they might just fit the bill. Pinning these to make for later. I need to run to the store and get the quinoa flakes. Never tried them before. A new adventure! Thanks for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Shari

    Reply

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rebecca

Meet Rebecca

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I’m so glad you’re here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services!

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