Andean Inspiration

Quinoa is an indigenous grain of the Andes; high in protein and relatively well priced it is a prized culinary ingredient in soups, side dishes, bread; pretty much anything. I decided to play around with making some high protein, lower fat granola bars for our trip around Bolivia. I suspect that our food choices will be limited much of the time and want to have something on hand that isn't too sweet and processed. This recipe is an amalgam of a couple I found online; I borrowed a few key elements then discarded much of the rest in favor of what I had on-hand and in the interest of trimming the sweetness down. If you're feeling adventurous, give 'em a try.

High Protein Quinoa Granola Bars

                  1 c. Oats (not quick cook)

                  2 c. Bran Flake cereal (or whatever kind you need to get rid of that's in the cupboard)

                  ½ c. Toasted, uncooked Quinoa

                  1/4 c. Flax seeds

                  1/4 c. Wheat Germ

                  1 T. Toasted Sesame seeds

                  Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger and Nutmeg to taste

                  1/4 tsp. Salt

                  1 c. Apple Juice

                  1 tsp. Almond extract

                  1 Egg

                  2 T. Honey (I used the honey we brought back from Coroico; dark and rich)

                  2 Spoonfuls Natural Peanut Butter

To Make:

                  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8”x8”baking pan with no stick.

                  Toast quinoa (if necessary) in dry cast iron pan over medium heat until is starts to pop; don't forget to stir so it doesn't burn.

                  In a medium bowl combine oats, bran flakes, flax seeds, wheat germ, sesame seeds, salt and spices.

                  In a separate bowl, combine peanut butter and honey. Heat in the microwave until easily combined by stirring. In another bowl, combine juice, almond extract and egg. Combine all wet ingredients being careful not to curdle the egg in the hot honey/peanut butter mixture. Add to dry ingredients mixing until everything is well coated; mixture will be quite wet but add more oats/cereal if seems too sloppy.

                  Spread evenly into the baking dish, pressing down firmly to smooth the edges to create an even surface. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes. Bars are finished when the edges are browned and the middle feels solid to the touch.

                  Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

Seal bars in an airtight container.