Recipe: Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies

Mmmm...peanut butter cookies! Crunchy quinoa makes a great addition to this classic recipe, and this is a wheat-free version if you're trying to avoid gluten. These make a tasty high-protein snack, and a great addition to any lunchbox!

Gluten-Free Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies

Ready to bake... (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup rice flour (add an additional 1/4 cup for high altitude cooking)
3/4 cup quinoa (1 cup for high altitude cooking)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine first four ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until creamy.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets and bake for 10 - 14 minutes.
• Yields up to three dozen cookies.

Recipe: Tropical Quinoa Pudding

If you're trying to go non-dairy or low-carb, and you like the flavors of the tropics, try this amazingly flavorful substitute for rice pudding. With nutty high-protein quinoa, creamy coconut milk, bananas, nuts, and ginger, this healthy and delicious dessert will give plain old pudding a run for its money!

Tropical Quinoa Pudding

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups water
1 can coconut milk (13 ounces)
1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup dried mango slices, cut in small chunks
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 bananas
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Directions:

• Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat until water is absorbed and quinoa is almost tender (it won't be fully done at this point).
• Add sugar, salt, and coconut milk to quinoa in pan and cook an additional five minutes.
• Add ginger and mango chunks and continue cooking until mixture has a pudding like consistency, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Slice 1/2 of one banana in 1/2 inch rounds and set aside. Mash remaining bananas and add to pudding, then stir in walnuts.
• Garnish with remaining banana rounds and add sugar to taste if desired.