Healthy Quinoa and Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

• Breakfast Foods

  • 1/2 cup Steel cut oats

• Condiments

  • 1/2 cup Brown rice syrup or honey

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 3/4 cup Quick oats
  • 1 cup Quinoa

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 cup Chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil
  • 1 Cooking spray

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup Flax seed, ground

• Other

  • 2 3 large or 1/2 cup egg whites

Found on ifoodreal.com

Ingredients

• 1 + 3/4 cup quick oats*
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats (or sub with quick oats)*
• 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped**
• 1/2 cup flax seed, ground
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 - 3 large or 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey, warmed up if necessary
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• Cooking spray (I use Misto)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and spread quick oats, quinoa, steel cuts oats and almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 -15 minutes or until lightly brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven, transfer to a large mixing bowl and let cool completely.
• Stir in flax seed, chocolate chips and salt into cooled oats. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg whites, add brown rice syrup/honey and coconut oil. Mix well to combine, pour over the dry ingredients and mix well again.
• Line 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Transfer mixture into the baking dish and using spatula or wet hands press it firmly. You have to press really well for the bars to hold together! Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool completely. I usually let the bars cool in the pan for an hour and then, holding by the parchment paper flaps, transfer on a cooling rack for another hour or so. Cut into 16 bars.