carrot cake quinoa breakfast bars
there's just something so back-to-school coded about cinnamony baked goods..
Did you guys know that kids go back to school in like the first week of August in Los Angeles?! What in the world? I’m sorry, but it’s still a roaring 105 degrees in the valley through September soo.. I just want to know why we’re trying to roast kids alive in their classrooms when we’re still smack dab in the middle of summer. Anyway, bringing this all up because I have a recipe to share (surprise) and it’s very back-to-school vibes to me. I say that mainly because there’s cinnamony stuff going on in here and that always equates to fall for me.
There is an annoying part to this recipe and that is that you do need cooked and cooled quinoa to make these, so go ahead and start that up now then come on back.
I like these cause they’ve got some heft to them; you just need one and you’re decently fueled up for a few hours. I also ride for this recipe because it does a good job of packing a lot of nutrition into what is essentially a treat. There’s a solid dose of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and minerals tucked into these little cake bars. Plus we love a baked good that can do double duty - breakfast or dessert. All these need is a swipe of cream cheese frosting for them to transform from nutritious breakfast option to dessert. They’re not gluten-free or vegan but can easily be made into either if you just use your favorite substitutes.
quinoa carrot cake breakfast bars
cause who doesn’t crave carrots in the morning?
Makes 9-12 squares, depending how you cut them
Ingredients
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
⅓ dark brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded, 1½ cups
1½ cups cooked quinoa, cooled
½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, optional (but not actually cause you definitely need nuts in carrot cake in my opinion!)
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
3 medjool dates, pitted and minced, about ¼ cup, optional
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch aluminum pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
In a small bowl combine the whole wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and maple syrup until frothy. Stream in the butter while whisking continuously until it is well incorporated. Fold in the shredded carrots and quinoa. Mix in the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula until no dry spots remain. Fold in the nuts, coconut, dates if using.
Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 38-43 minutes until golden brown, puffed, and cooked through. Cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.