Quinoa Coconut Granola Bars

EVEN KIDS NEED HEALTHY TREAT OPTIONS:))

( My son thinks I could make money with these;) lol)

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup gluten free- wheat free oats

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup combination nuts and dried fruit

(I used mix of dried blueberries, dried papaya, raw almonds and raw cashews)

1/4 cup raw shelled hemp seeds

2 tbsp chia seeds or flax seeds 

1/4 tsp Himilayan salt

1 tbsp coconut oil

3/4 cup raw organic honey

1/2 cup raw almond butter

3 tbsp coconut palm sugar 

Optional:

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tbsp coconut oil 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Grease 9X13 glass dish.  Spread oats and quinoa on cookie sheet and toast in oven 8 minutes.

3. Return mix to large bowl and add coconut, nuts, dried fruit, hemp seeds, chia or flax.

4.  In medium saucepan combine salt, raw almond butter, honey, oil and sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and immediately remove.  

5.  Pour sauce mixture over oat mixture and combine until dry ingredients are evenly cooked.  Pour into baking dish.  Press mix down into pan.

6.  Bake 20 minutes.  Let cool at least two hours.

( I cut mine about an hour into cooling.  Would have been much more difficult to cut when hardened fully!)

Note:  if you choose to top with chocolate heat the chips and coconut oil together until melted over low heat.  Dip one side of granola bar into chocolate, then place on wax paper chocolate side up.  Put in fridge until set.

Note: to make these school friendly ie: nut free... Substitute the raw almond butter for organic tahini or pumpkin seed butter... And the nuts for seeds like pumpkin and sunflower.  When I called the school they are nut free not seed free.  Will try this next time:)