Today we show you how to make no-bake energy bars with puffed rice and raisins. This recipe is sugar free, gluten free, And vegan and makes really healthy snacks. Let us tell you a little more about the ingredients we used and the substitutions you can make!
We used puffed brown rice as the base. You can use plain puffed rice, puffed oats, puffed spelt, or puffed wheat. Note that spelt and wheat aren’t gluten-free, so stick to rice or oats if you’re gluten-intolerant. Whatever you use, we recommend getting the sugar-free variety (not the Krispies) to make these bars super healthy.
These bars don’t bake, so we needed some sticky ingredients to hold everything together. A classic and easy choice is honey or maple. But since we didn’t want to use any added sugar, we opted for a mixture of almond butter and banana instead. Nut butter is also an excellent source of protein, making these bars an a great post workout snack.
How did we make these bars sweet without sugar? We used dried fruit! You can use raisins, dried blueberries, or anything else you like. As a finishing touch, we sprinkled in some crushed hazelnuts for extra crunch and a increase in proteins.
These puffed rice bars are great for releasing energy. Instead of using quick sources of energy like sugar, we rely on the power of fiber to give your body an energy boost slow and steady stream of energy. A single bar has 155 calories and it offers 8% RDI for fibers, 8% RDI for proteinsand only 2% RDI for saturated fats.
It takes you less than 10 minutes to make this recipe without even using the oven. Then let the bars cool in the fridge for 20 minutes, then they are ready. Sweet deal, right? Let us do this!
frequently asked Questions
What is puffed rice? And is it healthy?
Puffed rice, also called puffed rice, is made by heating the rice grains under high pressure and in the presence of steam. The grain then expands to a much larger volume than the starting grain, similar to popped corn.
Puffed rice made from brown rice is much healthier than that made from white rice. This is because the casing (the outer layer of bran) is preserved, which contains lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fiber helps slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar, helping you feel fuller for longer without energy slumps.
If you can’t find puffed brown rice, you can opt for other puffed grains like puffed oats, puffed spelt, or puffed wheat. We recommend always checking the product label to ensure the puffed grains are sugar and oil free.
Are these puffed rice bars gluten free and vegan?
These delicious breakfast bars are made with rice, nuts, and fruit, all of which are vegan and gluten-free ingredients. Plus, we didn’t use any added or refined sugars, only fruit to make these bars naturally sweet and super healthy.
Are these rice bars good for weight loss?
We made this recipe as healthy and nutritious as possible. While most store-bought rice bars contain white rice, added sugar, syrup and preservatives, our puffed rice bars are 100% natural.
We only used raw ingredients like brown rice, nut butters, bananas and raisins. Together, these botanical ingredients make our bars low in sugar and high in fiber. Fiber is key to a healthy diet and weight loss aid because it fills you up and slows down the absorption of sugar.
Nuts are high in healthy unsaturated fats and protein, which help suppress appetite and help you meet your daily calorie goals.