Pumpkin Protein Bars

Ingredients:
 

• 2 ¼ cups gluten-free, 1-t0-1 flour blend

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda

• 2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree

• ½ cup applesauce or roasted & pureed sweet potato

• ½ cup cooked quinoa

• ½ cup gluten-free oat milk

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 to ½ cup chocolate chips, walnuts, raw pumpkin seeds or dried fruit (or a combination)

• ¼ cup additional chocolate chips (optional)
   

Directions:
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9”x 13” rectangular pan with vegan margarine.
 

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking sofa and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In another, larger bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the pumpkin puree and applesauce or sweet potato and mix thoroughly. Add the quinoa, oat milk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly again.
 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Add chocolate chips, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and/or dried fruit as desired.
 

Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
 

Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
 

If desired, after cooling for 5 minutes, top the bars with additional chocolate chips. Allow the chips to melt and spread over the top as evenly as possible. You will not be able to fully cover the bars, but it will add more chocolate to the bars.
 

Makes about 24-30 bars, depending on how small you cut them.