Quinoa Granola Bars - cooking recipe

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 1/4 cup chopped dates or 1/4 cup chopped apricot
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients, except cinnamon, in the order listed and mix well.
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.
Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
Bake 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and cut into bars.
Return pan to oven for 10 minutes until bars become crisp.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
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.