Energy Rice Bars
These Energy Rice Bars with chocolate and cranberries are packed with brown rice and quinoa. Ideal on the go, they also make a perfect breakfast, snack or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Minute® Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup almonds, sliced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Categories
Instructions
Ready in no time, these Energy Rice Bars are guaranteed to keep you feeling satisfied, thanks to a base of brown rice and quinoa.
Step 1
Heat rice and quinoa according to package directions.
Step 2
Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and coconut oil in a medium, microwave-safe dish. Microwave on Medium, stirring every 30 seconds, for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is melted and smooth.
Step 3
Add rice and quinoa to melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Stir in almonds and dried cranberries.
Step 4
Spread mixture onto a parchment paper-lined, 8-inch square baking dish, or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Freeze for about 30 minutes, or until set. Cut into bars.
Recipe Tip
Try using almond butter in place of the peanut butter called for in the recipe. Or, for nut-free bars, use soy or sunflower butter and substitute nut-free pumpkin or sunflower seeds for the almonds.
Categories
Homemade Snacks
Energy bars are great snacks to have on hand when you’re running from one task to the next. They’re also perfect when you’re craving something satisfying and delicious in between meals. With minimal ingredients and a few simple steps, you can easily whip up these tasty, homemade treats.
Everything you need to make these Energy Rice Bars is probably already on your pantry shelf — plus, they can easily be customized! For added whole-grain goodness, we recommend making them with Minute® Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa. This grain base makes for a filling treat that will keep you satisfied and energized throughout the day.
Top Treats
For the best treats possible, start by combining the chocolate chips with the peanut butter and coconut oil, and heating the mixture in the microwave. Stir the mixture every now and then, until melted. The oil will help the chocolate melt more smoothly and will help the chocolate harden when cooled — don’t skip this ingredient!
You should also mix the melted chocolate with the toppings right after removing the mixture from the microwave. Although the recipe calls for almonds and dried cranberries, you can use other nut and dried fruit combinations to switch up your rice bars. Try dried apricots and walnuts, raisins with hazelnuts or coconut flakes and cashews.
To make more than one batch of squares, double or triple the ingredient amounts but make sure to melt the chocolate in the recommended amounts. If you’re whipping these up for the whole family or for a holiday treat to share, it’s best to do this step over the stove. Fill a pot 1/3 of the way up with water and bring to a boil. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over the pot of water to create a double boiler, and gently melt the chocolate. Be sure that no moisture gets into the bowl of chocolate. Stir until smooth.
If you’re in a hurry, make the mixture before going to bed and allow it to cool overnight. Enjoy this chocolate and cranberry delicacy as an on-the-go breakfast, or put some in lunch boxes for am afternoon snack.
If you want to try your hand at another crunchy, gooey treat recipe, we recommend these Rice and Quinoa Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars.
If you are looking for savory options, try our Rice-Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan. Or, for a delicious rice dish that can be prepared in the microwave, give this simple Microwave Egg Fried Rice recipe a try!
