Monday, May 30, 2011

A Sweet Treat to Eat - Crispy Quinoa Flake Cookies

Since I have given up refined sugar, I am always on the lookout for sweet treats to quell my desire for something sweet and comforting. My newest concoction is a more organic take on a recipe I saw on the back of a box of Quinoa Flakes.  I can't take full credit for the recipe, I must say - but I did tweak it to make it completely gluten-free and free of all refined sugars.

Now, for all of you sugar-free die-hards, this recipe does include honey, but I used RAW honey instead.  Raw honey is uncooked, unpasteurized, unprocessed honey that is actually an alkaline-forming food which is much better for your digestive system.  I also substituted Stevia-in-the-Raw where it called for brown sugar. If you are craving nuts or chocolate, you can throw in some dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (or even better, cacao nibs) or your favorite chopped nuts. These cookies are the crispiest, sweetest things I have tasted in a while.  They are not devoid of calories, as they still contain some rich ingredients, but they are intended to be a treat.  A treat that is free from processed white flour as well as the brown and white sugars typically found in cookie recipes. Even Michael Pollan would approve of these tasty homemade goodies!

Crispy Quinoa Flake Cookies
(gluten-free and refined sugar-free)

1/2 cup raw honey
1 cup Stevia-in-the-Raw
1 stick of organic butter or Earth Balance
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup quinoa flakes
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or cacao nibs (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat honey, stevia, butter/Earth Balance, peanut butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, using a wisk or spoon, combine the rice flour, quinoa flakes, baking soda, and salt. Slowly pour the rice flour mixture into the wet mixture. Mix it all together by hand or beater.  Add nuts or dark chocolate chips, if you wish. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-13 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool for 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet so the cookies can harden.  Yields approximately 2 1/2 dozen.  Enjoy!