Creative Quinoa Dessert Ideas

When you think of quinoa, you may think of a healthy ingredient for a main course or side dish. But, you most likely don't consider how you can prepare quinoa in your dessert recipes. But, quinoa lends itself well to many desserts.  With its fluffy texture, nutty taste, and delightful “pop,” quinoa can take desserts to a new level by adding another complex layer to the taste and texture of your favorite treats. Let's see how we can take a different look at dessert with quinoa.

Pudding

Cooked quinoa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since quinoa can be a direct replacement for rice, why not have a quinoa variation on the classic rice pudding? Cooking quinoa this way brings out its nutty flavor, and the sweetness of raisins and apple juice will take over the rest of the recipe. Another pudding option to consider is simply adding to cooked quinoa, ripe, mashed bananas and a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon.  How many tasty dessert recipes do you have with this sort of nutritional kick?

Cookies

You may not think to put quinoa in your cookies, but with its nutty crunch, this variation of the time-tested oatmeal raisin cookie has never been more delicious. There are also other applications where quinoa can make a debut, such as in your gingersnap cookies or even as a welcome addition to a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. Of course, quinoa doesn't work well with the lighter cookies, like shortbread or Madeline, but a hearty cookie can stand up to the extra heft and texture of quinoa. Of course, using quinoa flour or meal is another way to incorporate quinoa, without changing the cookie as much as whole cooked quinoa would.

Cupcakes & Muffins

Not only does having quinoa in your cupcakes produce a pleasant appearance, but you just can't beat the texture.  The addition of cooked quinoa to the batter, filling, or frosting changes the texture and taste of the cupcake.  Once you get away from the thought of the cake texture of cupcakes, you can go wild with choices.  Grated vegetables, fruit, and all sorts of concoctions can be used in cupcakes and muffins. So why not quinoa?

Quinoa chocolate brownie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Brownies

If you didn't think brownies could get any better, think again. Adding cooked quinoa to your brownie mix will add a good deal of chewiness and a slight crunch as well.  Using a red quinoa will add even more crunch; maybe enough to eliminate the nuts in your brownie recipe.  That slightly bitter taste of quinoa is also a natural compliment to the sweetness of the fudge chocolate brownie.

Mousse

Yes, mousse is possible with quinoa and is also incredibly delicious. By adding hearty spices like cinnamon, cardamon, and cloves to the mouse, you mix the strong flavor with the delicateness of the mousse. Blend in a couple ripe bananas to firm up the texture and you have a great dessert. You can use your food processor to blend the quinoa or leave as is.  When you use extreme ends in a flavor or texture spectrum, the result is a culinary surprise, and delight.

Quinoa can make some of the best desserts you have ever tasted. Not only does the nutty flavor often come out and intensify the dessert, but the lightly crunchy texture also adds another level of texture. So next time you think about what to have for dessert, make sure quinoa is part of your recipe.

Be sure to check back here later this week for a couple of tasty quinoa dessert recipes!

Recipe - Oat Pecan Cream Bars

Besides a breakfast cereal, a favorite way to eat oats is in breads, muffins, and desserts. Oats add a hearty texture and nutty taste, and are a great way to incorporate some fiber and some of the other nutritional benefits of oats into your diet - in a form everyone will eat! While you don't want to eat oatmeal cookies for breakfast every day, it's certainly okay to have them as a treat from time to time, and you know at least part of the ingredients are healthy.

These tasty bars make a yummy, hearty after-dinner snack, and you can cut down on the sugar, or substitute honey or other natural sweeteners if desired.

Oat Pecan Brown Sugar Bars

Image via WikipediaIngredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup sugar (or honey)
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar (for topping)
3/4 cup chopped, lightly toasted pecans

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, or butter.
• In large bowl, put butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and white sugar (or honey).
• Mix with electric beater until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, water, and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well blended.
• Add oats, flour, and baking soda and blend well with a wooden spoon until a dough is formed.
• Spread dough in bottom of baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and place on rack to cool.
• Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
• In a new cold bowl, add egg whites and beat with electric mixer until light and foamy.
• Slowly add 1/2 cup brown sugar, continuing to beat until you get stiff peaks.
• Distribute this mixture over the bars, spreading to edges of pan. 
• Put pecans on top, sprinkling evenly. Put in 325 degree oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.
• Remove and cool for 10 minutes on a rack.
• Cut into bars, then when cooled completely, remove from pan and serve.

Recipe - Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop Cookies

We don't usually post a lot of dessert recipes here, but hey, dessert is okay once in a while too! Depriving yourself of everything you crave leads to binge eating, which as we all know is not healthy. Packed with cocoa, coconut, and oatmeal, these hearty cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth - and they're drop cookies, so they're easy to whip up from scratch in a jiffy - no artificial flavorings or preservatives here! The secret is in moderation - try these next time you get a craving - just remember to stick to a few, and put the others in the cookie jar for later!

Enjoy!

Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop CookiesImage via Wikipedia
(Makes about 4 dozen.)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed solid
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until well blended, light and fluffy.
3. With beater running on slow, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
4. In separate bowl, blend together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, then slowly add to butter mixture with beaters running until blended.
5. Add the coconut and oats and stir with a large spoon until mixture is well blended.
6. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet by tablespoons and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, let cool for a minute, then slide off onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Video - Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  We will not be posting next week - I will be traveling to spend time with my family. But be sure to check back just after the New Year for more great recipes and cooking from scratch tips! Stay warm and safe, enjoy your loved ones, and enjoy all the holiday goodies - remember it's okay to splurge once a year!  :-)

Here is a simple and good from-scratch recipe for Christmas cookies to bake with the kids - or just to take to a holiday party. This basic recipe is easy to make and versatile - feel free to add other ingredients or flavorings if desired. It's as easy as a pre-packaged mix, but without all the preservatives and artificial ingredients, and you can cut down on the sugar if you like.

Makes a great plate of decorated cookies for Santa! :-)

Simple Sugar Cookie Cutout Recipe (Christmas Cookie Cutouts)
Same cookie recipe as yesterday, but I wanted this recipe to be a "stand alone" recipe so that people looking for a simple sugar cookie recipe would be able to find it without the melted snowman instructions. Cookies: Makes approximately 2 dozen 4 in...



More Fun Christmas Cookie Recipes:
   

Holiday Cooking Tradition: Christmas Cookies with the Kids

Christmas cookies are as much a part of the Christmas tradition for many as a visit from Old St. Nick himself. The cookies are often prepared in hopes of his pending arrival by children that are as excited as they can possibly be with all sorts of visions of great things to come dancing around in their bright and shining little eyes. Preparing the cookies in these instances can be a great time of bonding with your little ones but can also be a trying time if you don't follow a few of the tips and hints listed below.

Image via Wikipedia1. If you want to make cooking Christmas cookies and/or candy with your little ones the very best experience for you all that it can possibly be make sure you do it on a day when this is the only thing on your calendar. You do not want to rush through this time that is not only important for bonding with your child as a parent but also a time that is an important opportunity to lock in a few precious memories of great times you'll spend together. This is one thing that you want your children to look back at Christmas and remember doing with you and you want to be able to look back on Christmas and remember doing this with your children.

2. You should also make sure that everyone is well rested and well fed before beginning the process. This is important now more than ever, as we know more about the dangers of commercially farmed foods, such as raw eggs, that are included in cookie dough as well as the dough for many of our favorite Christmas confections and candies. You do not want to risk the health of your children through temptation over raw cookie dough.

3. Be sure that every child gets a turn with the fun stuff. This includes of course using the mixer and watching things spin around as well as choosing their personal favorites for the next batch of cookies. You should also make a few cookies that you plan to let them paint, decorate, and play with just for fun and their own personal enjoyment. This will guarantee a few smiles while also scoring a few brownie points for mom.

Image via Wikipedia4. Be patient and expect spills and messes. If you can afford a cleaning service once a year, the day after your cookie extravaganza is the day you want to splurge. Seriously, don't sweat the small stuff. We make little messes every day it shouldn't be such a shock when they make a really big mess in one day. This is one of the reasons why you want to plan your cookie making on a day when the calendar is clear-you will need time for clean up when all is said and done.

5. Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients for each and every recipe before you begin. This is very important as cookie dough doesn't wait well for that final egg and children don't understand very well when they are interrupted from one project to run a quick errand (also, when was the last time you made it in and out of the grocery store in under an hour?). If you can make it through all the steps above you should be in for smooth sailing and Christmas cookie baking!

Classic Christmas Cookie Recipes: