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Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Biscuits

Posted on Posted in Biscuits .

Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Biscuits

Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Cookies

In an attempt to eat gluten free, I brought a packet of quinoa flakes to use as a rolled oat substitute for my porridge. As much as the substitute seemed consistent with rolled oats I didn’t fall in love with the texture.

So, after opting back to oats I had a half full packet of quinoa flakes that I didn’t want to waste.

The solution? Get experimenting. I figured if the flakes were mostly used as an oat substitute I could bake with them just like I do with other cereal ingredients.

Knowing this ingredient pairs well with common breakfast flavors I played around with a few flavour combos before I landed on honey and peanut butter.

These 2 ingredients go so well together and using the quinoa flakes as a base biscuit ingredient went just as well as oat bran, flour or oats do.

To keep with the gluten free theme, I used rice flour instead of the usual wheat flour for gluten free friendly biscuit-y goodness.

I had low expectations for this treat and to be honest was blown away by how tasty it is.

 

Ingredients:

  • 55g brown sugar
  • 80g butter
  • 110g honey
  • 90g peanut butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 200g rice flour
  • 1 tsn baking power
  • ¼ tsn salt
  • 110g quinoa flakes

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place the sugar, butter, honey, peanut butter and vanilla into a saucepan on a medium heat.
  3. Stir until the mix is well combined, silky and bubbling on the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Sieve the flour, powder and salt into a bowl and add the quinoa flakes, stir.
  5. Pour the butter mix over the dry mix and stir until well combined.
  6. Put the bowl of the biscuit mix into the fridge for 30 minutes to cool and slightly harden.
  7. Next roll the cooled dough into balls 30g in size and place onto the trays.
  8. Using a fork push the balls in the center to flatten.
  9. Place the trays in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown in colour – leave the biscuits on the tray to completely cool.
  10. Enjoy!

 

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Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Quinoa….I have attempted to bake with this ancient grain about 10 times. This Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake was going to be the last attempt, where I only made the cake as I had some Quinoa left over from a Quinoa baking fail earlier that day.

I don’t understand how one thing can be that difficult to bake with…Semolina, couscous, polenta, almond meal – all are a breeze to bake with and add great texture and flavour. Quinoa…not so easy to bake with! The taste is quite distinct and hard to pair up, while the actual texture of the other ingredients also makes a big difference.

I have tired orange and ginger, pineapple carrot & banana, chocolate & peach even berries mango lime & mint to name a few and they were all flops!

As the fresh fruit was definitely not going to work I opted for dried fruit and knew I had to have a lot of flavour to offset the strong Quinoa taste. This directed me to dried fruit and heaps of it. As it’s Christmas time (Christmas Eve) of course a Christmas Cake was the first thing that popped into my mind.

I have also used gluten free flour to make this 100% free from gluten.

 

Ingredients:

  • 100g quinoa
  • 150g currents
  • 150g sultanas
  • 300g dries pitted dates
  • 100g mixed dried berries
  • 100g cranberries
  • 100g dried pineapple
  • 100g butter
  • 3 tbsn sherry
  • 2 oranges
  • ½ tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 155g gluten free flour
  • 1 tsn ground ginger
  • 1 tsn mixed spice
  • 1 tsn ground cinnamon

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160c and line a 23cm baking tin with baking paper.
  2. Place quinoa in a pan on the stove with 210g water.
  3. Turn on high until the water boils then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the water is all fully absorbed.
  4. Move the quinoa off the heat to fully cool.
  5. Cut the dried fruit into small pieces.
  6. Place 2 tbsn water, the currents, sultanas, dates, berries, cranberries, pineapple, butter, sherry, juice and zest of the 2 oranges in a saucepan.
  7. Bring gently to the boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat, add in the bi carb and stir every 5 minutes until the mix is cool.
  9. Beat the eggs and place in the bowl with the cooled quinoa and fruit mix. Mix until combine.
  10. Sift in the flour and spices and stir until well combine.
  11. Place in the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  12. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Notes:

  • The cake will be a moist when placing a skewer in as the dried fruit has absorbed the liquid and plumped them up.
  • If you want to make this alcohol free you can forgo the sherry and add in an additional 3 tbsn on orange juice.
  • If you don’t have sherry you can use brandy or port wine.
  • This cake is best served with custard or ice-cream.

 

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Ingredients

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Step 4

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Step 5

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Step 8

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Step 10

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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