Is puffed quinoa still healthy?

Yes! Assuming there are no other ingredients (like added sugar or added fats), puffed quinoa is healthy. Quinoa is a grain that contains fiber, plant-based protein, manganese, and copper. Puffed quinoa is simply quinoa that's been puffed up, sort of like puffed rice cereal!

Is puffed quinoa the same as cooked quinoa?

No! They're both quinoa but cooked quinoa is a softer, cooked grain while puffed quinoa is light and crispy.

What can I do with leftover puffed quinoa?

It's delicious mixed into yogurt for a nice crunch or as cereal! Puffed quinoa is great because it has fiber and plant-based protein so it can be part of a nutritious meal or snack. Since it's comparable to puffed rice cereal, you could even make rice krispie treats out of it!

Chocolate Sea Salt Puffed Quinoa Bars

Chocolate Sea Salt Puffed Quinoa Bars Recipe

chocolate sea salt puffed bars on a wire rack.

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Chocolate sea salt puffed quinoa bars are the ideal combination of sweet and salty: rich dark chocolate, crispy quinoa, sweet honey, and a hint of sea salt. They're easy to whip up whenever you want a healthier treat!

Author: Lauren
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 16 bars 1x
Category: Dessert, Chocolate, Snacks
Method: Chilling
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/4 cup (254g) dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup (184g) natural almond butter (or any nut butter of choice)
1/3 cup (112g) honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (91g) puffed quinoa
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping

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Instructions

Prepare 8x8" baking dish by lining with parchment paper.
In a medium (3-quart) saucepan combine chocolate, almond butter, honey, and vanilla extract over medium low heat.
Continuously stir with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are melted and combine. Be careful not to burn the chocolate! Low and slow is better.
Once the chocolate mixture is melted and combined, pour in the puffed quinoa and stir until evenly coated. You may need to transfer to a medium mixing bowl for more room depending on how big your saucepan is.
Pour the chocolate quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish and press down into an even, uniform layer.
Sprinkle sea salt on top and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, slice, and enjoy!

Notes

Store these chocolate sea salt puffed quinoa bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can store them at room temperature but they last longer in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month!
These chocolate crunch bars are super simple to make ahead of time. Simply make the recipe and store according to the directions above!
In addition to sea salt, you can sprinkle sliced or whole almonds, mini chocolate chips, unsweetened shredded coconut, hemp seeds, chopped peanuts, and/or dried fruit on top of these chocolate puffed quinoa bars!
Any nut butter will work in this recipe: natural peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc. You can also use a crunchy version for extra crunch!
While you can make your own puffed quinoa, it was easy to find and purchase online! Some health food stores may carry it (I couldn't find it at a regular grocery store like Harris Teeter and Walmart) as well.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 174
Sugar: 12
Sodium: 169
Fat: 9
Saturated Fat: 2
Unsaturated Fat: 7
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 22
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4
Cholesterol: 0

Find it online: https://the-perfect-pear.com/sweet-and-salty-snack-mix-recipe/