Step 1
Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).
Step 2
Rinse and drain quinoa using a fine-mesh sieve. Spread quinoa on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Stir every 15 minutes until quinoa is completely dry, about 45 minutes.
Step 3
Place a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add roughly a ¼ cup of dried quinoa and stir continuously. After a couple of minutes quinoa will begin to pop. Pop until quinoa turns a golden brown, smells nutty and the popping subsides. Transfer the popped quinoa to a plate to cool, repeating with the remaining quinoa.
Step 4
Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Line with parchment paper, creating an overhang on 2 sides to help lift out squares. Grease parchment; set aside.
Step 5
In a large bowl, combine the toasted popped quinoa, puffed quinoa cereal, and banana chips.
Step 6
In a medium saucepan, combine Redpath® Granulated Sugar, water and honey, clipping a candy thermometer to the side. Set over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
Step 7
Stop stirring and allow syrup to boil undisturbed until mixture reaches 240°F (115°C) on the candy thermometer.
Step 8
Remove syrup from heat and stir in the peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and salt. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
Step 9
Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Set aside to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Step 10
In a small heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Microwave in 10 second increments, stirring in between until melted. Drizzle melted chocolate over the quinoa bars with small spoon. Chill for 20 minutes to set chocolate.
Step 11
Using the parchment overhang, remove the bars from the pan and set on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife cut into 2 x 1 ½ inch bars.
Step 12
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
*If you are short on time, replace the 1 cup (175 grams) of quinoa with 1 cup (25 grams) of puffed quinoa cereal, and eliminate the steps for drying and popping the quinoa.
*Feel free to substitute organic ingredients for the ingredients used in the recipe (e.g. organic quinoa, peanut butter, honey, etc.)
*Redpath® Organic Sugar can easily be substituted with Redpath® Granulated Sugar, Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, or Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar.
