Here is the recipe I use to make my gluten-free crunchy granola bars. These bars are slightly sweet and have a nice crunch. Don't throw away the crumbs!!! They are great on yogurt or ice cream.

Here are the ingredients I use. The only missing ingredient is the butter. All of them are gluten-free certified except for the dried cranberries and golden syrup, but those ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Regarding the quinoa! I find it very difficult to find puffed quinoa. If you can find it then that is great! If not you could try to puff up regular quinoa by roasting it in a pan like you'd roast sesame seeds. They pop slightly, but I've never had much luck and usually just roast them a little and add to the mixture. Have you ever puffed your own quinoa? Any suggestions on how to do it better?

It is important that celiac's only consume certified gluten-free oats as they have a high chance of cross-contamination. Also, newly diagnosied celiacs should be very careful eating even gluten-free oats.

Above is the back of the flaxseed package. I wanted to show that they are certified gluten-free. I wish companies would put the Canadian Celiac Association's mark on the front of the packaging as it makes it so much easier when scanning the grocery store shelves for certified gluten-free products.

Just mix all the ingredients together and press well into an 8" x 8" pan that is lined with greased parchment paper. It is important to really press the mixture well into the pan, so that the bars stay together when baked. This is a small recipe. I don't like to make many bars at one time. They can be individually wrapped and frozen.

This is how they should look after baking. Let them cool completely before cutting. If you like sweeter bars you can sprinkle the top with brown or white sugar while warm.

Gluten-Free Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup golden flaxseed
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons puffed or roasted quinoa (optional)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup golden syrup
• 1/4 cup dried fruit (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Farenheit.
2. Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper, and spray with oil.
3. If using quinoa and you can find already puffed ones great! If you can't find puffed ones than you can try to puff your own by slowly heating in a hot pan. Be careful they burn quickly! I've never had much luck getting mine to puff up, so I either don't use them or use a tablespoon or two of slightly roasted quinoa.
4. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
5. Put the mixture into your lined and oiled baking pan and press down well.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.
8. Remove from pan and cut into bars.

I like them plain, but you can top them with melted chocolate. Just melt the chocolate in the microwave and either put in a piping bag or ziplock bag with the tip cut off and pipe the chocolate onto the bars.

This is my basic recipe. Feel free to adjust to your tastes or what you have in your pantry. I play with this basic recipe quite a bit. I will use raisons, or chocolate chips instead of the dried cranberries. I sometimes use sliced almonds instead of pumpkin seeds or honey instead of golden syrup. Do you have a granola bar recipe you like? I would love to hear about them.

Note: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns.