I have been playing around a bit with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) in the kitchen.
It’s such an interesting grain that has ancient origins dating back to the Inca civilization.
My latest craze has been Ancient Harvest’s Inca Red.
This red quinoa seems to keep it’s texture a bit better than other quinoa I have experimented with in the kitchen. Added bonus: it is pre-washed so less time prepping!
Today, I prepared enough quinoa to make my Tomato Lime Quinoa Salad and enough to make some granola bars featuring quinoa. I have to admit, this is not my first try at making a quinoa based granola bar. My first attempt was kinda dry and somewhat tasteless….so I had to toss the whole batch. Boo 🙁
I changed up the recipe this time and I think it came out great!
I LOVE the taste of coconut so I used unsweetened grated coconut and some coconut oil to add some serious coconut flavor, but you can use butter if you’d rather. I think regular vegetable oil may make them too crumbly but you certainly could try to substitute it in the recipe.
I added some golden raisin, sunflower seeds too and the mixture looked so yummy {and tasted delicious too!}
Raisins and sunflower seeds (in large portion) are a source of fructans so would not be allowed on the low FODMAP diet in large quantities at one sitting. BUT tolerance is variable person to person. The Monash Uni cut off per sitting is 1 tablespoon of raisins and 2 teaspoons of sunflower seeds and the bars meet this criteria.
These bars are easy to make, just add all the ingredient and mix to blend, then press firmly into a square 8 x 8 pan and bake them up.
Here they are all set to be baked!
Quinoa,Raisin and Sunflower Seed Granola Bars (FODMAP friendly version provided)
Ingredients
- Cut into 12 bars
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (I like Ancient Harvest Inca Red Quinoa)
- 2 tablespoons oat bran
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoon butter (I like 2 tablespoons coconut oil and 1 tablespoon butter)
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp. vanilla (I usually use a bit more maybe 1 1/2 tsp.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In medium size mixing bowl, add all ingredients and gently stir to blend.
- Press into an 8 x 8 greased square baking pan, press firmly!
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Let granola bars cool to room temperature and then in the refrigerator to cool completely before cutting. I store them in individual wax paper bags.
I hope you try these granola bars. Homemade granola bars made with whole foods, foods as close to how they exist in nature unlike soybean isolates, chicory root extract, and all sorts of ‘what the heck is that?’ ingredients often found in commercial varieties. And you can wrap them up in individual wax paper bags and make them look cute too! 🙂
Enjoy!
K
I have been lactose intolerant for as long as I can remember, and I am also FODMAP intolerant. I have had a hard time getting 100% symtom free and now I am thinking if this is due to the fact that I often eat “lactose reduced” foods instead of “lactose free” ones. Can small amounts of lactose create a build-up during the day? It would be around 1 g (or slightly less) lactose per meal, and 4 or 5 meals in total. What do you think? Is this enough to start a reacton in a very sensitive person?
katescarlata
I don’t think that it would be a lactose problem…it could be a dairy intolerance altogether or perhaps the lactose foods are also high in fat and that triggers your symptoms? You could try to use low fat lactose free milk and remove all other lactose containing foods and assess your tolerance? If okay, try small amounts of cheddar cheese–most should be lactose free?…and again see how you do. Also, if you have not been tested for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth this would be a reason you are not symptom free…I would assume you have been tested for celiac disease?[you need to be consuming wheat for the test to be accurate so I encourage celiac testing before trying the diet] Are you working with a dietitian…a health care professional who understands your medical history is key to working with you and this diet!
Ginger Hoffman
I just made these. They are very tasty and the house smells great!
katescarlata
Yay! Glad you liked them!
Eran
Looks delicious. However, my blood test results showed I’m sensitive to both wheat and oats/millet. Any substitute you can think of for this rather “main” ingredient in these (and other) bars/granola? Thanks
katescarlata
Perhaps try buckwheat and a little rice bran mix?
Giovana Anderson
Hello,
There is a product called Nots! It is NOT NUTS, and it is the best snacks because anyone can have it, in the car, in the purse, in the kitchen and children that suffers of allergies can have it, it is allergen FREE. The facility is considered the 8 top allergen FREE.
I think their website is http://www.nots-snacks.com/
I love it! My children love it!
Gigi