2 ¾ cups water
1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup diced dried fruit (apricots or dried cranberries)
1 cup diced dried figs
1 ½ cups chopped cashews or any favorite nut
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
(Note: When you purchase prewashed quinoa, there is no need to rinse it. But when you buy quinoa in bulk, rinse it well and drain before using. This removes a bitter taste associated with naturally occurring trace resins called saponins, which coat unwashed quinoa.)
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bring the water to a boil and add the rinsed quinoa. Stir and bring back to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12 to 14 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender. Strain. Spoon quinoa into a bowl to facilitate cooling. Cool for about 10 minutes.
After the quinoa has cooled, stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Add dried fruits, nuts and coconut. Toss until the mixture is fully combined. Grease an 8″ x 8″ baking pan and scoop the quinoa mixture into it. Press down firmly to evenly distribute the mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top has just started to get golden (but is still very light) and the edges are gently browned. Cool before cutting into bars.
