Q is for Quinoa

This is a part of our month-long Eating the Alphabet Project! Click here to learn more about the book and project, and to see a list of all the recipes and activities.

 The list of fruits and vegetables beginning with Q is rather slim, so we chose to use qunioa instead. If you are new to quinoa, it is a seed that is cooked and used like a grain. You'll find it in the natural food section of larger grocery stores. Make sure to rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer before cooking to remove the bitter-tasting saponins that coat the seeds.  

If you or your young readers have never had quinoa before, what's a better way to try it than in cookies! It adds a nice chewy texture and a high-protein health boost to these delicious fruity treats. 

 

Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2012.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, or 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. To cook quinoa: Place 1/3 cup rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan with 2/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover tightly for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. 
3. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 
4. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat butter, sugars, and honey together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
5. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, about 2 minutes. 
6. Beat in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time until just combined. 
7. Stir in quinoa, oats, cranberries, and almonds. 
8. Drop batter by 2 tablespoons onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. 
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

Quinoa "Glitter" Project

Visit the Quinoa site and learn how this interesting grain grows (scroll down to the bottom of the page for a picture of a quinoa plant) then get out the crayons and glue and 'grow' some of your own.

 

Supplies

• Paper
• Crayons
• Glue
• Quinoa

 

1. Use the crayons to draw the quinoa stalk and leaves.
2. Spread thick lines of glue at the top of the plant.
3. Sprinkle quinoa on the glue.
4. Lay flat to dry.