Quinoa Granola Bars

Barb O's Note:

Essential Eating's Quinoa Granola Bars from our local newstation WNEP. They are healthy and yummy too.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 5

Yield: 10.0 bars

• 2 cups quinoa (flakes)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or 2 teaspoons almond extract
• ½ cup maple sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 large egg whites , lightly beaten
• ¼ cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut or ¼ cup chopped dates or ¼ cup chopped apricot
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients, except cinnamon, in the order listed and mix well.
3. Place mixture in a 8 or 9 inch greased baking pan and press flat using the back of a fork or slightly moistened finger tips.
4. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
5. Bake 45 minutes.
6. Remove pan from oven and cut into bars.
7. Return pan to oven for 10 minutes until bars become crisp.
8. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
9. Notes: Recipe can be tripled using a jelly roll pan (11X17). Bars freeze well. Granulated maple sugar is 100% maple syrup that has been cooked at a higher temperature. I have subbed with brown sugar in a pinch.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

I almost always have at least two different breakfast / energy / granola bars on hand for us to enjoy, & with PAC over I now have some wonderful new additions to my selection of recipes! These bars, which, this time I made with dates, are exceptionally nice tasting & satisfying & I look forward to making them another time with the apricots, or perhaps with a combo of coconut, date & apricot! Thanks for a wonderful keeper of a recipe! [Made & reviewed for one of my adoptees in this Spring's round of Pick A Chef]