Quinoa Breakfast Bars With Blueberries

These simple quinoa breakfast bars are packed with protein and whole grains, naturally sweetened, gluten free, and contain zero oil or butter, and the recipe is so flexible, it could own a yoga studio. Want to use peanut butter instead of almond butter because that’s what you have on hand? Go for it. Need these to be vegan quinoa breakfast bars? I have you covered. Want to swap diced strawberries for blueberries or add chocolate chips? Please do. <—Then CALL ME. I’m coming over for a square. Or four.

About These Breakfast Bars

This recipe came about when I realized that I’d been eating a store-bought, shiny-wrapped bar almost every single day, sometimes more than once. While I have no problem relying on store-bought snacks now and then and even have a number of favorites (especially these and sometimes these), good-quality bars are expensive, and eating one every day adds up.

In a moment of especially fierce hanger, I walked to my pantry and discovered that the box of bars I’d purchased earlier that week was already empty. After having a mini meltdown (remedied via gigantic handful of sweet potato chips), I walked myself over to the refrigerator, pulled out a carton of blueberries, and set to work to make myself a more wholesome homemade snack. My original plan was to add the blueberries to my ever-reliable Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, when I remembered a little leftover quinoa we had from the night before. I also remembered that several readers have requested a gluten-free oatmeal breakfast bar, and I had yet to deliver. Until now… Ta-da! Quinoa Breakfast Bars with Blueberries. The answer to afternoon hanger, my latest breakfast obsession, and a handy recipe to keep in your back pocket for on-the-go breakfasts and snacks.

Recipe Adaptations

To Make with Other Nut Butters. You can use any nut butter here you like, or sun butter. I used the natural, drippy almond butter that is stored in the refrigerator. To Make Vegan. Swap a flax egg for the large egg in the recipe; use a nondairy milk and maple syrup. To Use Frozen Berries. Thaw the berries and rinse them under cool water until the water runs mostly clear, then add them to the recipe as directed. To Use Another Mix-in. You can also replace the blueberries with 1 1/4 cups of any other mix-in. Try a mix of dried fruits and nuts (chopped if large), chocolate chips, or other diced fresh fruit that isn’t overly juicy.