Quinoa Granola Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Granola
1/2 cup soaked quinoa (1/4 cup dry)
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup honey
Granola Bars
2 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup dry)
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (I used apricot, pear, apple, and cranberry)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 - 1 banana
granola cereal
1/2 cup chopped dates or 1/2 cup other dried fruit
1/2 cup raisins

Preparation

Soak dry quinoa in 1/2 cup of water for two hours.
To make the granola, mix all dry granola ingredients, including the soaked quinoa, in a bowl.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Heat oil and honey in a small saucepan until thin; stir into dry ingredients until mixed.
Pour the granola mixture into a jelly roll pan and toast for 1 hour at 250 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Store in a plastic bag until ready to use.
Cook mixed dried fruit with 2 cups water at a simmer half the water has evaporated (about 45 minutes).
Add 3/4 cup dry quinoa and enough water to cover plus a quarter inche and cook over medium heat 20 minutes, adding more water as needed.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Set aside 1 cup cooked quinoa; pour the rest of the quinoa with cooking liquid and fruit pieces into a blender.
Blend until large fruit pieces are chopped up.
Add 1/2 cup raisins, the salt, lemon juice, vanilla, and banana.
Blend.
(Mixture will be thick; stop the blender and push with spoon if you have to, adding water if needed) Spoon blender mixture into a bowl, stirring in granola, 1/2 cup dried fruit, and 1/2 cup raisins.
Press into a greased and floured glass baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Cool.
Cut into desired number of bars.