• About
    • Work With Me โ€“ Individuals
    • Work With Me โ€“ Businesses
    • In The News
    • Privacy Policy, Terms & Disclosure
  • Gluten Free Flour
  • Gluten Free Bread Mix
  • Free GF Bread Making Guide
  • Cookery Classes
    • Gluten Free Christmas Cookery Live Online Lessons โ€“ 2022
    • Gluten Free Christmas (Pre-recorded)
    • 1:1 Gluten Free Cookery Classes
    • How To Make Gluten Free Bread
    • How To Make Healthy Gluten Free Treats
    • Gluten Free Savoury Bakes Online Cooking Course
    • How To Make Gluten Free Puff Pastry โ€“ Video Lesson
  • Recipe Books
    • Gluten Free Christmas Recipes (Downloadable Book)
    • How To Make Gluten Free Pastry โ€“ Recipe E-Book
    • Gluten Free Easter Recipes (Downloadable Book)
    • Simple Gluten Free Breakfast Recipe Book
  • Recipes
    • Gluten Free Recipes
      • Easter
      • Vegan
      • Recipes Using My Flour
      • Breakfast
      • Main Meal
      • Vegetarian
      • Side Dishes
      • Snacks
      • Condiments
      • Desserts
      • Bread
      • Cakes & Bakes
      • Biscuits & Cookies
      • Birthday Cakes
      • Drinks
      • Seasonal
      • Cosmetics/Personal Care
      • Christmas
    • Dairy-free Recipes
    • Egg Free Recipes
    • Soya Free Recipes
    • Nut Free Recipes
    • Refined Sugar Free Recipes
    • Yeast Free Recipes
    • Low FODMAP Recipes
  • Online Courses
    • Gluten Free Diet For Beginners: Free E-Course
    • Say Goodbye To Gluten โ€“ Online Course
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Health blogs
    • Gluten Free Eating Out
    • Vicki’s favourite things
    • Gluten Free Tips & Support
    • Gluten Free Book Reviews
    • Gluten Free Kids
    • Interviews
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • 0 items£0.00
The Free From Fairy

The Free From Fairy

Home ยป Free From Recipes ยป Egg Free Recipes ยป Popped Quinoa & Banana Bars

28th May 2016 ·

Popped Quinoa & Banana Bars

Dairy-free Recipes· Egg Free Recipes· Gluten Free Cake Recipes· Gluten Free Recipes· Gluten Free Snack Recipes· Gluten Free Vegan Recipes· Refined Sugar Free Recipes· Soya Free Recipes· Sweet Gluten Free Recipes

IMG_5620_result-1024x683

When Holland & Barrett asked if I would like to create a recipe with any of their new range of ancient grains of course I said yes.

I let them surprise me with their choice of grain and they sent me a bag each of red quinoa, black quinoa and white quinoa.

I then set about creating something that you may not have come across before, sweetened only with whole fresh fruit and free from gluten, dairy, eggs and soya.

First things first, you need to pop the quinoa.  Yes, you did hear me right, and you could just stop there and eat it on its own. It is delicious with a nutty toasty flavour.

I chose the red quinoa just because it looked pretty.

IMG_5613

The process of popping quinoa is simple.  Much like corn, when the seeds are heated they pop open.  Unlike corn, you do not need to use any oil in the popping process and rather than close the lid, I just used a deep saucepan and whisked the seeds while they popped, thereby making sure they didn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.

There is one step you need to do before you start the popping though and that is to at least wash, and preferably soak the quinoa before you use it.  This removes the outer surface of the quinoa that contains saponin, a chemical that covers each grain.  It is the saponin that makes quinoa taste a little bitter and also makes it hard to digest for those of you who have sensitive tummy’s like me.

IMG_5646

So, place the quinoa in a bowl of water and whisk it for around 4 minutes.  While you do this you will notice the water turning cloudy and bubbly.  Sieve the quinoa and give it a quick rinse before placing into a pre-heated hot, deep saucepan.

As soon as you put the quinoa in the pan you need to turn the heat down to low and move the grains around with the whisk.  Firstly, the water will evaporate and then you will hear the grains, once dry, start to pop.

IMG_5627

Provided you keep whisking and moving the grains around you should be able to keep most of the grains in the pan. Some will jump out, but that is half the fun!

Using your nose and eyes to judge when most of the grains have popped, pour the popped grains onto a plate to cool and prepare the rest of the recipe.

I hope you enjoy these bars.  Being full of protein they would be perfect as a post-workout snack, or to pop into the kids lunchbox.  They get a little sticky when kept at room temperature so I recommend storing them in the fridge.

As always, do let me know what you think if you try popping the quinoa or making these bars.

Popped Quinoa & Banana Bars

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Soya-free, Sugar-free
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Save to bookmarks View Bookmarks
Prevent your screen from going dark
Author Vicki Montague, the Free From Fairy

Ingredients
  

  • 115 g popped quinoa
  • 50 g almonds
  • 50 g pecans
  • 30 g sunflower seeds
  • 15 g sesame seeds
  • 85 g banana - 1 medium sized one
  • 15 g coconut oil - melted
  • 10 g cacao nibs - optional - for decoration
  • Pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Pop the quinoa following the instructions above
  • While the quinoa is cooling place the nuts into a handheld food processor (or ordinary food processor) and blitz until it turns into a butter. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides several times before the nuts become a butter
  • Add the banana and blitz until smooth
  • Add the sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, coconut oil and salt and blitz again until roughly combined
  • Finally stir through (or quickly blitz) the popped quinoa
  • Tip the mixture into a lined tin...choose one that will give you the sized bars you require. I used on that was approx.25cm x 10cm, and press firmly into the edges smoothing off the top
  • Scatter the cacao nibs, if using, on the top and press gently into the mixture
  • Place in the freezer to set before turning out and cutting into bars
  • Keep in a container in the fridge
Share by Email

 

I given the quinoa and paid by Holland & Barrett to create this recipe.

 

Free From Farmhouse
Previous Post: « Gluten Free Waffles (Dairy-free, Sugar-free)
Next Post: 5 Top Tips For Eating A Wholesome Gluten-free Diet »

Primary Sidebar

Vicki Montague, the Free From Fairy

Welcome!

Hi. I'm Vicki Montague, scientist and mum to 'Roo' (15) and 'Sunshine' (13). I'm a freelance recipe developer specialising in 'free from' food and spend many hours in my kitchen experimenting to create exciting healthy recipes that are all gluten-free & mainly dairy-free. In July 2016 I launched the world's first wholegrain, gluten-free and rice-free flour blends. In May 2018 I launched my first online programme to help people adapt to a gluten free life. I can be found at food festivals giving cookery demos and I love nothing more than teaching people how to cook and lead a positive wholesome life. Find out more about my story...

Follow me…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

"Let food be thy medicine. And let medicine be thy food".

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Roo’s Recipes
  • Shop
  • Vicki Recommends
  • Useful Websites
  • Full Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 ยท Free From Fairy