Nutty Superfood Breakfast Bites
These are everything an energy bar should be: packed to the brim with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Almonds are filled with heart-healthy fats, quinoa is an excellent source of protein, goji berries are loaded with antioxidants—and those are just a few of the nutrient-packed ingredients you’ll find inside. This recipe is customizable, too, so feel free to swap cashews for almonds, or dried cherries for goji berries. Brown rice syrup is available at most health foods stores, and does the best job of binding the ingredients together without making the bars sticky. It also gives the bars a gorgeous shiny finish, which you can further enhance with a drizzle of dark chocolate.
Ingredients
2½ cups raw, unsalted almonds
¾ cup pepitas
¾ cup uncooked quinoa
¾ cup goji berries
¾ cup dried blueberries
¾ cup chopped pistachios
½ cup + 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
¼ cup honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup chopped dark chocolate, for drizzle (optional)
Directions
Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread the almonds, pepitas, and quinoa onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for until lightly brown and toasted, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the goji berries, blueberries, and pistachios.
In a medium saucepan, bring the brown rice syrup, honey, and salt to a boil, whisking to combine. Let boil for until it turns deep amber in color and looks frothy, about 3 minutes.
Immediately pour the syrup into the mixing bowl and, moving quickly, stir until nuts and seeds are evenly coated. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Let cool completely (about 20 minutes), then slice into 30 squares.
Yields: 30
