Peggy’s Quinoa Cookies

This is one of my FAVE recipes! It was inspired by a teacher who once asked if my cookies were made out of brown rice… my response was ‘no’, but she gave me a brillant idea to use quinoa instead! It’s super simple and loaded in protein, complex carbs, stress-busting B-vitamins, and deliciousness! Also gluten-free. I guarentee you’ll fall in love!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (whole grain)
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa flakes (or oatmeal flakes)
• 1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 4 large VERY RIPE bananas
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup dark, unsweetened chocolate chips (you can also use raisins, walnuts, or any ingredient you desire!)
• pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup hemps seeds (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 380 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas in bowl with a fork and add vanilla and coconut sugar. Add quinoa, oatmeal, coconut and pinch of salt. Mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and/or raisins. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and drop batter on to cooking sheet. Bake for 25-30minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.Switch-up: replace the chocolate chips with ¼ cup of cacao powder to turn this recipe into chocolate quinoa cookies!

Here’s a video showing how to make them on Steven and Chris – just to show you how easy-peasy they are!

 

Cooking Quinoa

Cooked quinoa will last about 5 days in the fridge. I’m all about cooking once and eating the entire week, which is why it is great to make in large quantities!

Directions:

• Always use Two Parts Water to One Part Quinoa (i.e. 1 cup uncooked quinoa to 2 cups water will give you two cups quinoa cooked – it doubles in quantity)
• Rinse and drain uncooked quinoa
• Add quinoa to pot with twice the amount of water, bring to a boil (uncovered)
• Once it hits a rolling boil, lower heat to low, add cover to pot, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes
• remove from heat, fluff with fork, and let sit covered for a few more minutes

Once you have cooked quinoa on hand, you can eat it plain, throw it into shakes or smoothies as a thickening agent, use it as a cereal or substitute it for rice or pasta in your favourite dishes. Not only is it so versatile and easy to prepare, it’s also loaded in nutrients and contains all essential amino acids making it a complete protein source.