Quinoa Chewy Granola Bars

Quinoa Chewy Granola Bars

By Susan Arruda

YIELD: 14 bars or 28 squares

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup almond or peanut butter
2 tbsp. melted butter
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cups cooked quinoa
2 cups rolled oats or spelt flakes
3 tbsp. flax meal
3 tbsp. ground chia seeds
¼ cup steel cut oats
½ cup sliced, slivered, or roughly chopped almonds
¼ cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds
½ cup chopped dried fruit (we used a combination of figs, dates and apricots)

PREPARATION:

Mix wet ingredients together and beat using a mixer to combine well.

Combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet, mixing together using a large mixing spoon.

Spread mixture in a 9X13 inch baking pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 o Fahrenheit oven for approximately 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Store bars in refrigerator up to a week or freeze as bars or squares.