Indulge Guilt-Free: Cherry Chocolate Quinoa Protein Bars You Won't Believe Are Healthy

Sometimes, you want a sweet snack, but don't want a ton of added colors and sugars. If you're like me, these chocolate cherry quinoa bars will hit the spot. Feel free to leave the chocolate bits out if you'd like. This is what you'll need for 8 bars:

Photo byAmbitious Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup dates or date paste*
• 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked, and rinsed
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup almonds, raw
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Rinse uncooked quinoa in a strainer, then transfer it to a dry pan without oil. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and stir the quinoa until it dries and starts to pop slightly. After about a minute, when the popping stops, remove it from the heat and pour the toasted quinoa into a container. The quinoa will be lightly browned and have a nutty aroma—be sure not to burn it. Popped quinoa is tiny and doesn't puff up like popcorn.

If using whole dates, pulse them in a food processor or finely chop them. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, and pulse until the mixture is crumbly, slightly lumpy, and moist. Be cautious not to over-process, as you want the mixture to just hold together when pressed, not turn into a paste. Then, stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, using a flat-bottomed glass to smooth it out.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then remove and cut into bars and enjoy!

* Notes:

You can substitute an equal amount of a nut butter or pure maple syrup for the dates if needed or desired.

You can also add a thin layer of melted chocolate over the top before chilling if desired.