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You know I have a sweet tooth – and this puffed quinoa recipe is perfect for anyone who loves peanut butter and chocolate. The best part about this recipe? It can be made completely vegan by using dairy-free chocolate and it is packed with nutritious ingredients including puffed quinoa and hemp seeds.
My puffed quinoa recipe also requires no oven and can be stored in the fridge for several weeks – but I’m willing to bet they won’t last that long.
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Why You’ll Love This Puffed Quinoa Recipe
- Yummy – Dark chocolate and PB, need I say more? Add in some maple syrup and this puffed quinoa recipe will be a hit for anyone with a sweet tooth.
- Easy – 20 minutes and 10 ingredients are all you need to whip up this puffed quinoa recipe
- Packed with Protein – With ingredients like PB, puffed quinoa, and hemp seeds – these bars are an excellent source of protein.
Ingredients
Hemp Seeds: Technically a nut, hemp seeds are very nutritious and rich in healthy fats – including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both fats are known for improving heart health – which is fitting because hemp seeds are often referred to as hemp hearts.
Puffed Quinoa: Did you know that quinoa puffs contain nearly twice as much fiber as nearly all other grains? They are a great source of fiber and take on a nutty taste – which makes them perfect for this puffed quinoa recipe.
How to Make Puffed Quinoa Recipe
- Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the quinoa puffs, PB, hemp seeds, vanilla extract, vanilla paste, maple syrup, and salt.
- Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Transfer the puffed quinoa to the prepared pan and firmly press down.
- In a small bowl, combine the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil.
- Melt the two ingredients together in the microwave, and mix together.
- Pour over top of the pressed-down quinoa puffs, and spread evenly
- Set in the fridge for 3 – 5 minutes, add flaky salt on top, and set in the fridge until the chocolate is firm.
- After about 10 – 15 minutes, cut into 16 equal pieces and enjoy!!
Substitutions
- Vegan: Use dairy-free chocolate chips to make this vegan
- Vanilla Paste: If you can’t find paste, you can substitute it for more vanilla at a 1:1 ratio
- Chocolate Chips: Feel free to sub these for milk chocolate chips
- Nut Butter: Use any nut butter you want in this recipe
Other quinoa recipes you’ll love
How to Store Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 1 – 2 months.
Common Questions
Puffed quinoa essentially takes regular quinoa but heats and agitates it until it pops like popcorn.
You can often find quinoa puffs at your grocery store in the organic aisle or with other grains.
Heat a pan and when it’s very hot, add quinoa to the skillet. If the heat is high enough the quinoa will start popping right away. Shake the skillet to keep the quinoa from burning.
Absolutely, it has the same nutritional benefits as regular quinoa.
Puffed quinoa is when you take the grain and pop it so it’s puffy like popcorn.
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Ingredients
- 3 – 3 ¼ cups quinoa puffs
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 6 tbsp. hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp. SO vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. SO vanilla paste
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips, vegan
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- Extra flaky salt
Instructions
Start Cooking- Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the quinoa puffs, peanut butter, hemp seeds, vanilla extract, vanilla paste, maple syrup, and salt.
- Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Transfer the puffed quinoa to the prepared pan and firmly press down.
- In a small bowl, combine the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil.
- Melt the two ingredients together in the microwave, mix together.
- Pour over top of the pressed-down quinoa puffs, and spread evenly
- Set in the fridge for 3 – 5 minutes, add flaky salt on top, and set in the fridge until chocolate is firm.
- After about 10 – 15 minutes, cut into 16 equal pieces and enjoy!!
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I didn’t have puffed quinoa so I used rice crispies instead and they didn’t last long in my house! they were devoured in one night
the folks at my church group loved these! they want me to make them again
ohhh these were so good. my rommate and I devoured the whole pan in one night