I grew up eating this tasty Andean grain/seed; mom made it into Sopa de Quinoa (Quinoa Soup) or simply cooked it up like pilaf! Yum. When I was a kid, my aunts in Bolivia would send tasty little sweet quinoa cakes; like rice crispy treats! I’ve always wanted to make something similar to these. This weekend, my friend Julia made trail mix-like quinoa balls to share; they were delicious, and soft like cookie dough. This got me thinking about the little Bolivian treats I never quite figured out.
I’ve never thought about puffing quinoa. I suppose if corn can be puffed, or maybe I should say popped, so can quinoa. Since quinoa is much smaller than a corn kernel, the size of the popped seed does not increase in size very much. Instead, a fun, crispy texture develops, with a toasty nutty bite!
Try these...they remind me of my childhood, my Bolivian family and of course my mom!
Puffed Quinoa and Cherry Cakes
½ cup quinoa
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. PB 2 plus 2 Tbsp. water (or 3 Tbsp. peanut butter)
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup chopped dried apricots (or cherries)
¼ cup sliced almonds
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. PB 2 plus 2 Tbsp. water (or 3 Tbsp. peanut butter)
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup chopped dried apricots (or cherries)
¼ cup sliced almonds
Coat a 12 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to press mixture evenly into cups. Bake for 18 minutes.
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Follow package directions for washing quinoa; some varieties have a bitter coating and require washing and some do not. Dry well or allow to dry in a low heated oven.
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Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat a heavy skillet or Dutch oven (will need a lid) over medium high heat. Place dry quinoa in skillet and cover with lid. Heat for about 3-4 minutes, shaking skillet (use oven mitts to hold), until quinoa begin to pop. Quinoa with be nicely browned and have a crispy texture (yes, taste it with caution, as it will be hot!).
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Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add maple syrup, pb 2, dried fruit and almonds. Stir well.
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Coat a 12 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to press mixture evenly into cups. Bake for 18 minutes.
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| I actually decided to bake these last minute, once I saw that they would not stick together unless the maple sugar carmelized a bit. It was a learning experience. |
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| I am pretty proud of the end result! Crunchy and chewy at the same time! |
Que dulces recuerdos.
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