This recipe originally appeared in The Prostate Forum, July 2013: http://www.prostateforum.com/index.html)
Raspberry, Almond, and Quinoa Bars
Serves: 12 bars
While store-bought protein bars are available in most communities, many of these products are loaded with sugar, genetically modified ingredients, or preservatives. The following recipe allows you to create a quick snack that actually benefits your health. If you have sensitivity to sweet ingredients, add less honey; if you are diabetic, substitute the honey with agave syrup. From this base recipe you can replace certain ingredients to fit your taste: try substituting the raspberries with blueberries or diced strawberries; if you don’t like cashews, chop up pistachios or almonds; if you crave dried raisins or cherries, replace the cranberries in this recipe with those dried fruits. You can make the bars on your day off in less than 30 minutes and enjoy them during a hectic week. I often commute over an hour for work, so for a quick mobile meal, I have a homemade protein bar along with a strawberry soy yogurt smoothie.
Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa flakes (rolled oats are a fine substitute)
3 large, ripe bananas
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond butter
1 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested (no juice)
½ cup raspberries, frozen
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt, to taste
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, place the bananas, almond butter, cranberries, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, honey, and vanilla. Blend until relatively smooth, about 1-2 minutes. There will still be some pieces of cranberries, but everything else should be blended together.
3. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the chopped cashews, and stir until incorporated.
4. Working in batches, place ½ cup of quinoa flakes in the bowl and stir the mixture until all of the flakes are absorbed. Repeat this process until all 2 cups of the flakes are absorbed. The mixture will turn into a thick paste-like substance.
5. Gently stir in the frozen raspberries. I prefer frozen berries because the fresh berries get mushy in the mix: the frozen berries retain their shape as the mixture bakes.
6. Grease a muffin tin with a light coating of olive oil.
7. Scoop the mixture into the muffin molds: fill each mold about ¾ of the way.
8. Bake the mix for 13-18 minutes, or until a fork placed in the middle of a bar comes out clean. Cool, and unmold the bars from the muffin tin.
9. Store these packets of protein in the refrigerator and consume them within a week.
Raspberry, Almond, and Quinoa Bars
Serves: 12 bars
While store-bought protein bars are available in most communities, many of these products are loaded with sugar, genetically modified ingredients, or preservatives. The following recipe allows you to create a quick snack that actually benefits your health. If you have sensitivity to sweet ingredients, add less honey; if you are diabetic, substitute the honey with agave syrup. From this base recipe you can replace certain ingredients to fit your taste: try substituting the raspberries with blueberries or diced strawberries; if you don’t like cashews, chop up pistachios or almonds; if you crave dried raisins or cherries, replace the cranberries in this recipe with those dried fruits. You can make the bars on your day off in less than 30 minutes and enjoy them during a hectic week. I often commute over an hour for work, so for a quick mobile meal, I have a homemade protein bar along with a strawberry soy yogurt smoothie.
Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa flakes (rolled oats are a fine substitute)
3 large, ripe bananas
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond butter
1 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested (no juice)
½ cup raspberries, frozen
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt, to taste
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, place the bananas, almond butter, cranberries, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, honey, and vanilla. Blend until relatively smooth, about 1-2 minutes. There will still be some pieces of cranberries, but everything else should be blended together.
3. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the chopped cashews, and stir until incorporated.
4. Working in batches, place ½ cup of quinoa flakes in the bowl and stir the mixture until all of the flakes are absorbed. Repeat this process until all 2 cups of the flakes are absorbed. The mixture will turn into a thick paste-like substance.
5. Gently stir in the frozen raspberries. I prefer frozen berries because the fresh berries get mushy in the mix: the frozen berries retain their shape as the mixture bakes.
6. Grease a muffin tin with a light coating of olive oil.
7. Scoop the mixture into the muffin molds: fill each mold about ¾ of the way.
8. Bake the mix for 13-18 minutes, or until a fork placed in the middle of a bar comes out clean. Cool, and unmold the bars from the muffin tin.
9. Store these packets of protein in the refrigerator and consume them within a week.
