Puffed Amaranth Superfood Fuel Bars

Today I am sharing my superfood bar recipe, I think these might be your new snack addiction. I would call myself a protein/energy bar connoisseur, I have tried just about every bar on the market and I still feel like there’s room for a better vegan superfood bar. I wanted a bar that was vegan, organic, gluten-free, protein packed, free of refined sugars, and antioxidant rich! I chose an amaranth base for these superfood bars because amaranth is a complete protein, providing long lasting sustenance. You can make these ahead of time and have a great post workout muscle builder or mid morning snack that will last all week!   

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of dried apricots
• 1/2 cup amaranth grain
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup Goji berries
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup stevia sweetened maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

RECIPE

• Preheat oven to 350

• Soak the apricots in 1/2 cup warm water, set aside

• Heat a large skillet on high

• Add amaranth grain to hot skillet 1/8 of a cup at a time (you will puff 3 batches), stirring consistently, allow grain to puff up.

• Once amaranth has puffed empty skillet into bowl and add more amaranth to empty skillet (repeat)

• Add pecans, peanut butter, goji berries, oats, hemp seeds, syrup, cinnamon, puffed amaranth and salt to a large bowl

• Stir ingredients, incorporating well.

• Add soaked apricots and excess water into a food processor and pulse until you have a thick jam like consistency (about a minute)

• Add apricot purée to bowl, stir well

• spread bar mixture onto nonstick baking Mat or waxed paper lined baking sheet.

• Spread into a medium size rectangle of uniform thickness.

• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

• Cool for at least 1 hour in the fridge

• Cut bars into whatever size you would like!

• Bars will last 3-5 days in the Fridge and up to a few months in the freezer

Truly enjoy!