Quinoa Granola Bars

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

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 5
• Yields: 10 bars

Ingredients

• 2  cups quinoa (flakes)
• 1⁄4 cup maple syrup
• 2  teaspoons vanilla or 2  teaspoons  almond extract
• 1⁄2 cup  maple sugar
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter
• 2  large  egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut or 1⁄4 cup  chopped dates or 1⁄4 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.