It was recently teacher appreciation week at my son’s school and I signed up to bring a sweet treat for “dessert bar” day. Deciding on what dessert to bring to events is always tough for me. Not because I can’t think of anything to bring, but my mind is always too full of ideas for what to bring. This time I wanted something sweet, salty, bite-size, and relatively healthy. I came up with these puffed amaranth crispie bars and felt so happy about being able to share with all of the hardworking teachers at school. These no-bake bars are chewy and crispy, bound together with a blend of almond butter and honey, and finished with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of salt. Amaranth, rich in nutrients and containing all of the essential amino acids, has recently made its way into our kitchen and I have been loving this supergrain. The amaranth along with sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds deliver a bit of crunch while the brown rice crisps make these bars crispy and light. Enjoy these for dessert, snack, or even as a quick breakfast.
- ¾ cup puffed amaranth (see note)
- 1¼ cup brown rice crisps
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup creamy almond butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ ounces dark chocolate
- flaky sea salt for finishing, such as Maldon
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the puffed amaranth, brown rice crisps, coconut, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- In a small saucepan, stir the the almond butter, honey, coconut sugar, and salt together over medium-low heat until sugar and salt are dissolved, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla.
- Working quickly, pour the almond butter mixture over the amaranth mixture and mix together until thoroughly combined. Use the back of a rubber spatula or lightly oiled hands to press the mixture firmly into prepared pan. Chill until firm, at least an hour.
- Set a small glass mixing bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and place the chocolate in the mixing bowl. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Use the parchment paper to lift bars out of the pan and onto a work surface. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the chocolate. Wait a few minutes for chocolate to begin to set and then lightly sprinkle sea salt flakes over the chocolate. Return to the refrigerator and wait for chocolate to completely set, about 20 minutes, before cutting into bars. These are best stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Inspired by At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen
Sam @ SugarSpunRun says
WHERE can I find amaranth?! These sound amazing and I bet they have just the best texture!
Emily says
Hi Sam! I bought my amaranth in the bulk section at Whole Foods, but Bob’s Red Mill also sells it online. http://www.bobsredmill.com/organic-amaranth-grain.html
Lu | Super Nummy Yo! says
Amazing photos as always! I have a bunch of amaranth but now that winter porridge season is over I need to try your puffing technique – can’t wait!
Caroline says
I’m in love with this recipe…and your images…always gorgeous!
Sneha says
Amazing photos as always! I have a bunch of amaranth but now that winter porridge season is over I need to try your puffing technique and even more,These sound amazing and I bet they have just the best texture 🙂
Emily says
Thank you, Sneha! I do hope you give these a try! Have a wonderful weekend.
Laura says
I love puffed amaranth!! So fun to pop and adds a nice texture. These sound delicious:)
Emily says
Thank you, Laura! After realizing how easy amaranth was to pop, I wanted to add it to everything. 🙂