Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola and Quinoa Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola and Quinoa Bars

Ingredients

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 cups plain granola or quick cook oats

1 cup Quinoa

1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/4 cup peanut butter

2 scoops whey protein powder

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup mini M&M's - optional but makes the kids devour them. 

Process

Line 9x13  inch baking pan with parchment. Leave overhand so it's easy to lift the bars out of the pan.

Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Mix in PB and protein powder and vanilla

Add the granola and rice cereal  and almonds into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated.  Add choc chips last so they won't melt as much.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the M&M's on top and press into bars.

Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.

Quinoa Granola

I love my after morning workout breakfast, granola with berries and yogurt. No, not Greek Yogurt.

I'm trying out this Quinoa fad only because 1. It has extra protein 2. It's gluten free. Hell no, I'm not going Gluten free. I love my bread. BUT I am trying to cut down. It's a huge part of weight loss and cutting out carbs is a challenge but if I do it slowly I know I can do because I've done it before. I've found lots of recipes for Quinoa granola but none that I really cared for. I don't like dried fruit in my granola. I do however love nuts. This is what I came up with using a few ideas from Pintrest. My granola didn't come out crunchy, but it's not soggy either. It has a nice bite to it but it won't break teeth.

I love it and even better, the man loved it.

Quinoa Granola

2.5 cups oats (I used 2 cups Old Fashioned and ½ cup Quick Oats, that's what I had on hand)

1 cup Quinoa

1/2 cup chopped almonds – I used roasted and salted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup brown sugar

½ applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

Dash cinnamon

2Tbsp honey

Measure the dry ingredients in large bowl, mix well.

Mix wet ingredients (including sugar) in saucepan over low heat to melt and mix together. I didn't bring to a boil, next time I'll try that. Mix into dry mixture.

Spread on a baking sheet and bake 225 degrees for an hour.

Next time I'll use 2 sheets (maybe It'll get crisper) and not dump half on the floor while moving it from one counter to another.