Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars
For a wholesome whole grain breakfast you can make ahead and grab on the go, enjoy the protein-packed autumn goodness in these Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars.
Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars
There’s a big debate going on in my county right now. A couple years ago they changed the start and end times for the different schools, shifting some of the elementary schools later, the high schools earlier, and a bunch of other stuff. Basically it was all in an effort to save money by optimizing the bus routes and schedules, but for the kiddos in my house, it makes no sense whatsoever. My son is in first grade and starts school at 9:30 am, and let me tell you, I am totally on board with moving that time earlier.
Why? Well, several reasons.
MY LATEST VIDEOSFirst, our evenings are a bit busy. These are little kids with early bedtimes, which means that in less than four hours we have to cram in picking up the little guy, making and eating dinner, homework, family time, reading, after school activities, and, you know, maybe a little play or relaxing time. And I’m not even one who has them signed up for sports and clubs and such every night of the week.
Second, my kids are early risers, and although they are better this year than they were last year, by the time The Bug got to school in Kindergarten, he was already tired!
And finally, I really wish I didn’t have to give the kid a second breakfast every morning. Yes, instead of one normal-sized breakfast, we do two smaller breakfasts. When he is up and ready for breakfast by seven (which we can’t move later because we have to drop off the little one before the big guy gets on the bus), and doesn’t start school till 9:30, if he had to go all the way till lunch at noon he would be hangry! I can’t subject his teacher to that. So while I’m not talking about serving him two giant plates of pancakes and bacon, we do always need to grab something before heading out the door. But there’s not always a lot of time to do that.
So it’s important that I’ve got some nutritious and satisfying options on hand that we can grab on our way to the bus stop, like muffins, energy balls, trail mix, and these…
These Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars are simple to make ahead and keep in the fridge or freezer. It doesn’t matter whether it is fall or any other time of the year, my kids always love apple cinnamon anything, and breakfast bars are always a hit. So I knew they would happily gobble these up. In fact, I knew they’d be ready to devour them so quickly that I actually stashed some in the freezer so I would still have a little stockpile to take one out the night before and thaw it overnight, or to pop in the microwave for a few seconds if I had to grab it at the last minute. It’s perfect for a portable breakfast on-the-go.
The kids love the sweet, soft, and chewy goodness. I love that not only are they easy and convenient to have on hand, but they are also packed with plenty of wholesome ingredients like oats, flax seeds, and of course the apples. That means lots of whole grains and fiber to keep them satisfied and protein from the quinoa, pecans, and AllWhites® 100% liquid egg whites. Not only do they help keep these bars together so that you can carry them along with you, but they also add protein without any fat, or cholesterol, and with only a few calories. For more great recipe ideas, check out AllWhites on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup AllWhites 100% liquid egg whites
- 2 Tablespoons almond butter or other nut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cups chopped apples about 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 in. square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, baking powder, flax seed, and cinnamon and stir until evenly distributed.
- In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, applesauce, AllWhites 100% liquid egg whites, almond butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until mixed thoroughly to form a thick batter.
- Fold in the apples and pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 - 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove and cool completely in the pan. Slice into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze to keep longer.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy this Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars recipe!
Here’s a few more breakfast ideas to make with AllWhites 100% liquid egg whites…
Plus a few from my friends…
- Pineapple Orange Julius from Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Spinach and Feta Wraps from Food Fun Family
- Leek Mushroom Egg White Frittata from A Healthy Life for Me
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AllWhites 100% Liquid Egg Whites. The opinions and text are all mine.
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Cassandra says
Just wondering how many eggs I would need to use in place of the AllWhites.
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Hi Cassandra.
According to the AllWhites website, 1/4 cup of egg whites is equal to one large egg. Since the recipe calls for 1/3 cup egg whites, I would say you’ll need 1-2 eggs to get the right amount of whites.
Jeannette says
These sound very good. Right up my alley too since 1) I have most of the ingredients and 2) although I’m not as busy as the rest, there are those unexpected times. I have to eat gluten free; can I use gluten free oatmeal in this recipe?
PS) it is 2018, and I’m not sure when you wrote this, but I wanted to add that I hope the scheduling is better now!
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thank you, Jeannette! This post was published in 2016 so I’m happy to report that things are MUCH better now. 🙂
Rebecca says
I enjoyed the cinnamon apple and what went in them, but they were less of a “bar” than I expected and more the texture of an oatmeal bake.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor. Yes, I call them bars because they are more firm than a typical oatmeal back that you wold eat on a plate with a fork, so you can carry them with you. But it’s more like a soft oatmeal bar than a harder granola bar.
Kelly says
Do you have nutritional info on this?
Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Kelly, I don’t have exact nutritional information, because the information can vary depending on the products used. However, I know that a lot of people use the free nutritional calculator at MyFitnessPal.com. I hope that helps you to determine the information based on the ingredients you are using.
Workouts & Fitness says
This is a wonderful recipe. I am glad I was still able to eat it while I was doing my Country Heat dance workout for months. It was hard to find good food that was also healthy.
Sara says
I don’t have liquid egg whites. How many whole eggs would be the equivalent?
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
This would be the equivalent of two egg whites (you can always save the yolks for lemon curd or ice cream). One whole egg might work, but I have not tried so can’t guarantee it.
Liz Jo says
Healthy and delicious!
Thanks for linking up with Welcome Home Wednesdays! Live every Wednesday at 7AM CT.
liz @ j for joiner
Amelia says
Those look really yummy! Sometimes I’ll make muffins or pancakes ahead of time for weekday breakfasts, but my kids are egg-lovers. Thank goodness for my breakfast sandwich maker!
Lisa@Lisa's Dinnertime Dish says
I love to make frittatas ahead, slice into individual servings and freeze for a quick breakfast.
Deidre says
We like to make a big batch of breakfast burritos and freeze them! I’ll need to try this recipe! Looks yummy!
Tammi @ Momma's Meals says
I’m glad I’m not the only one who despises two (sometimes three) breakfasts a day! Looks delicious!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
It’s so frustrating!
Francesca says
Grab and go would be a piece of fruit. Muffins or a yogurt are great, but they are not as forgiving if you really are in a rush, but an apple can be consumed whilst off somewhere in a hurry. Ideally though, even if it’s just five minutes, I try to have something before I leave, so that it is more substantial and satisfying. Thanks for this great recipe though; perhaps these will be my new grab and go recipe 🙂
Tina W says
I love having a stash of homemade breakfast burritos in the freezer.
Shoshana Rose says
I love having a batch of protein muffins in the freezer for easy grab and go breakfasts. These bars would definitely find a good place in the rotation!
Jenny says
YUM! These look incredible, I love anything with apple and cinnamon, what a great but healthy treat!
carrian cheney says
ACK!!!! I was sitting here thinking I need to do something with my apples, maybe breakfast bars. lol!! And I’m totally not kidding. Love this!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I wish I had one of these bars right now – I love ALL things apple!
Natalie R says
My favorite on-the-go breakfast.. I’m torn between overnight oats, chia seed pudding and scrambled egg muffin cups – all are in constant rotation in the morning and I love to experiment with flavors for each one! These bars are definitely next on my list 🙂
Carly Williams says
My favorite make-ahead breakfast is a quiche filled with veggies! It’s so easy to slice a piece and reheat it in the morning.
Mary Cloud says
A fried egg sandwich with cheese
Cookin Canuck says
9:30 is such a late start time! I hope they eventually adjust that for you. These breakfast bars sound like the perfect thing to have on hand for busy mornings.
Marty Crosson says
My favorite grab-n-go breakfast is no-cook oat bites. I’ll make a bunch on weekends with whatever’s at hand (dried berries, sunflower seeds, nut butter, etc.) and stick them in the freezer. The kids can eat them in the car without requiring a complete change of clothing.
Gina @Running to the Kitchen says
Great Fall breakfast! Making these soon!
Jennifer says
These look amazing! Making them today. I use the Clean & Delicious recipe for apple pie oats in the microwave most days. The egg white makes the oats fluffy. Excited to have a to-go bar that is healthy and tasty.