Low Sugar Sweet & Salty Cereal Bars
One of the things I missed most when I first gave up sugar really took me by surprise. It wasn’t cake or biscuits or ice cream. I only had those every few days as treats anyway, so it didn’t feel like a huge change to go to having them rarely. But the things I missed most were the supposedly healthy things I was having every.single.day. Sometimes several times a day. Fruit juice, maple syrup, fruit yogurts, and cereal bars.
Believing the marketing trick of selling them as health foods, I happily switched snacks from biscuits to cereal bars many many years ago, but what I didn’t realise until I discovered I Quit Sugar’s 8-Week Program was that those cereal bars often had as much sugar as the biscuits I had replaced with them, sometimes even more!
Snacks can be hard when you quit sugar, and while it’s true that eating better at mealtimes and trying to snack on fresh fruits & vegetables works most of the time (not to mention reducing your sugar intake causes less hunger pangs and cravings), there are times where I want something sweet. Sometimes that’s a low sugar cookie or hot chocolate. But sometimes it’s a craving for something as simple as a cereal bar.
And boy do these hit the spot in those moments. They are the perfect balance of sweet & salty, softness & crunch, healthy & treat. They are low in sugar, but full of flavour. They are easy to make in one pan and in just a few mins, and are perfect for wrapping up and sticking in bags or lunchboxes for on-the-go snacks or treats.
They even freeze really well as individual bars and can be eaten after being out the freezer for just a few mins!
Plus, these bars are packed with protein in the form of quinoa, amaranth (sounds hard to get hold of or expensive but I bought my puffed grains from Lidl for next to nothing!), nuts, seeds and nut butter. It’s like having a delicious tasting protein bar, cereal bar and healthy snack all rolled into one. And it gives you a serious energy boost, but not one that will leave you crashing a few hours later. This makes them extra perfect for sick days (yes, I know something cannot be “extra perfect” but indulge me for a moment… and then indulge yourself by making these yummy yummy bars! 😉 ). The protein boost and complex carbs in the bars allow for sustained energy and their sweetness makes them easy to eat even when most foods sound thoroughly unappealing. (There is a chance I am speaking from intimate and recent experience… anyone else detest norovirus?!)
That’s why I strongly recommend making a big batch and freezing a load individually this winter, ready to pull out at a moment’s notice when the kids bring home whatever deadly epidemic virus is sweeping the school this year.
These no-bake, vegan, gluten free, low sugar/high protein cereal bars are not only a healthy boost but they tastes a-m-a-z-i-n-g! They freeze really well and are perfect for combatting a mid-morning or afternoon energy slump or even for keeping your protein and energy intake going on sick days!
- 2 tbsp rice syrup
- 1 tbsp xylitol, optional
- 1/3 cup (85g) no added sugar peanut butter (crunchy gives a lovely texture but smooth works too)
- 1/3 cup (65g) coconut oil
- 1 cup (100g) oats (gluten free if you prefer)
- 3/4 cup (30g) puffed quinoa
- 1/4 cup (5g) puffed amaranth (or more puffed quinoa)
- 1/4 cup (35g) chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup (30g) sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup (25g) lightly salted pretzels* (optional, but adds the perfect level of saltiness so adjust with sea salt flakes instead if you want salty sweet bars without the pretzels! If you skip them, chopped 85% dark chocolate can be a yummy substitute)
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Add the wet ingredients to a large saucepan and melt together over medium heat. Once melted and combined, take off the heat and add all of the dry ingredients. Mix well, then spread out on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. You want the bars to be the right thickness, so don't spread to the edges if it makes them too thin!
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Place in the freezer for 30 mins until cold and set, then cut into 12 bars. Keep in the fridge or freezer (they'll last a few days in the fridge but months in the freezer).
*check the ingredients and choose the one with the fewest or most recognisable ones - I found a pack with just flour, oil, salt and yeast in it.
If I take the bars to work , they’ll melt? Or in hot time how long they last outside the fridge?
Hi Sasa,
I’m afraid they probably would melt if you took them as is, as the coconut oil in them liquifies in warm temperatures. But I have successfully packed them in lunchboxes by packing them in straight from the freezer with an ice block, so as long as you keep them cool, they will stay solid. 🙂