Have you ever tried a Crunch Bar? It’s a milk chocolate candy bar that’s dotted with crispy rice. Sweet. Creamy. Crunchy. The stuff that sugar-filled dreams are made of.
You and I far too evolved to be seduced by the come hither of a Crunch Bar. We know how that shot of refined sugar hits and the drowsy stupor that follows. We’re fully aware of how a little slip up like this catapults into an entire week of sloppy eating. A sloppy week rolls into two, and three, and then a lifetime. And so we pass by the candy bars, our steps quick, until it’s out of reach. We are safe.
But you enjoy a little chocolate. You like a little crunch and a little creamy. What to do?
Here’s the plan: We pop some quinoa. We melt some unsweetened chocolate. We mix in a little liquid stevia. We combine it all. Voila!
This recipe is your guilt-free, real food, super-duper Real Healthy Crunch Bars. Enjoy!
1 cup uncooked quinoa
12 ounces unsweetened chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon coconut cream
4 droppers full Liquid Stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
To pop the quinoa: Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot add 2 Tablespoons of the quinoa. Shake the skillet often as the quinoa toasts and pops. (Watch a video I made of how-to-pop-quinoa here). Continue until all of the quinoa has been popped. Place all of the popped quinoa in a large bowl.
In a medium sized double boiler (I simply place a saucepan in a skillet with a few inches of water) combine the unsweetened chocolate, coconut oil, coconut cream, liquid stevia, vanilla and almond extract. Mix until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the popped quinoa. Mix until the quinoa is fully incorporated into the chocolate mixture.
Place a strip of parchment paper across an 8×8 casserole pan, leaving the ends sticking up and out of the pan on either side. (This will serve as your handles for pulling the hardened chocolate bar out of the pan.) Pour the chocolate and quinoa mixture into the pan and smooth out the top. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Use the parchment paper handles to pull the chocolate out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut the chocolate into individual sized candy bars. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. Enjoy!
Calories: 45
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Sodium: 1mg
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Sugar: —