Carrot Cake Quinoa Bars are a nutritious (and delicious!) way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, these gluten-free and vegan Carrot Cake Quinoa Bars make the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack!
I may be a dietitian, that doesn’t stop me from having a pretty mean sweet tooth. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you want to look at it), the 891,527,523 hours I’ve spent studying nutrition – and its never-ending slew of health and wellness implications – just so happens to be enough to keep me from leading a life fueled entirely by ice cream and cookies.
While I certainly indulge in my fair share of desserts (read: everyday), I do my best to keep nutrition a top priority. That being said, I’m always on the prowl for ways to satisfy my sweet tooth without sacrificing taste, quality, or nutrition.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@ByteSized_RD” hidden_urls=”http://wp.me/p7Dm26-tz” remove_url=”true”]Cake for breakfast?! YES PLEASE. Carrot Cake Quinoa Bars are a healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack[/tweetthis]
These Carrot Cake Quinoa Bars fit all of the above criteria (and then some!). They’re made with wholesome ingredients like quinoa, dates, and nuts and filled with protein, fiber and healthy fats. And on top of that, they come together in just 15 minutes and don’t require any baking. Oh, and did I mention that they taste flippin’ PHENOMENAL?? Yeah, there’s that too.
These bars themselves remind me of a cross between a Larabar and a Cliff Bar. They’re moist, dense, and loaded with carrot cake flavor. And since no cake is complete without frosting, these bad boys are topped with a blend of creamy cashews, sweet maple syrup, and a hint of tangy lemon for a taste that is reminiscent of cream cheese frosting.
Are you drooling yet??! No? Just me? Awkward…
Now, as a wise woman once said…
Let them eat cake (for breakfast)
[matcha]
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Even though I am a quinoa lover I found the bitter taste really over powering, I could not taste the carrots or any other flavors.
Did you rinse the quinoa well in a strainer prior to cooking? Quinoa has naturally occurring saponin on its surface, which can give off a bitter taste. Once it’s rinsed off, quinoa should have a very mild taste and should not be bitter.
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Hi, Love these. Only thing is mine were very moist and it doesn’t seem “set”. Should I have squeezed moisture out the carrots first? Pls let me know as love the taste : ) Thanks, Susan.
Hi Susan,
Glad to hear you like them! I will say that the bars themselves do stay relatively moist – I typically eat mine with a fork as opposed to picking up them. That being said, I would still recommend making sure that there the quinoa is fully cooked and has absorbed all of the water before adding it, as that could be a potential source of excess moisture. Squeezing any moisture out of the carrots first wouldn’t hurt either (this is not a step that I have done in the past, but it’s worth a try!) Other than that, you could always try blending in some oats to try to get to a consistency that you prefer. Hope that helps!
Hi Kara,
I have everything to try these incredible sounding bars except the cashews. Do you use roasted or raw?
Hi Denise,
Good catch – I didn’t realize I hadn’t specified raw vs. roasted in the ingredient list. Raw cashews are best for producing a cream cheese like frosting. Enjoy!!
I’m not a big fan of quinoa. Do the other ingredients mask the taste of it? (I would think perhaps short grain brown rice could be substituted.)
Hi Elizabeth,
I definitely think that the other ingredients mask the taste of the quinoa. If you’ve ever had a larabar or a cliff bar, I would compare it to that type of texture/flavor. Just be sure to always rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer prior to cooking in order to get rid of the bitter coating on the quinoa. That being said, I would be very interested to know if these work if you do try substituting short grain brown rice!
Hello. I’m making these bars at the moment. I can’t find any information on how long they should bake for.
Hi Diane,
These are no-bake bars, so just pop them in the refrigerator to firm up once they’re all assembled! Hope you enjoy!