Quinoa Banana Choc Chip Muffin

 

Adapted from: http://www.onecooktwokitchens.com/gluten-free-banana-quinoa-muffins-and-the-grains-giveaway-continues/

Ingredients (modified to my tastebud):

3 cups quinoa flour 

1 cup almond meal

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon if you have fresh)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

 1 cup walnuts broken into pieces

2 large egg

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

6 large mashed ripe bananas (approximately 1 1/2 - 2 cups)

12 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

1. prepare the dry ingredients first. I used the Thermomix to made my quinoa flour and almond meal.
I measured 3 cups of quinoa grains and blend in Thermomix on Speed 10 for 1 minute. Pour mixture into large bowl
2. Next place raw almonds into Thermomix bowl (I used the same bowl from the quinoa flour). Blend for 40 seconds on Speed 10. I turn the dial slowly up to Speed 10 as the almonds are quite hard and can cause quite a fright in the house.
3. Pour the almond meal into the bowl and whisk them together.
4. Add in baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk them and blend them together. Add in the chocolate chips and the nuts and mix them slowly.
5. In another Thermomix bowl, I add in all the wet ingredients. eggs, brown sugar, bananas (make sure the are really ripe, mine was really brown all over), oil and vanilla. Blend on Speed 4 for 10-15 seconds.
6. Preheat oven to 180C
7. Mix the dry and the wet ingredients. DO NOT over mix. Muffins just need to be barely combined. I stir from bottom up and big folds.
8. I managed to get 24 muffins out of this batter. I used an ice cream scoop to get them into muffin cups.
9. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Use the toothpick to check if it is cooked. Toothpick will come out clean when it is cooked.
10. These muffins are really good. They are soft, moist and not tough. So this time the mixing is right.

My batter ready to be bake

 large scoops for a good wholesome snacks for my kid's lunch box.

after baking them. Nice straight out from the oven.

They are healthy, packed full of good stuff. Please do try it

Healthy M & Ms cookie with Quinoa Flour

Adapted from :
http://www.semihealthyblog.com/2012/01/semi-healthy-m-cookies.html

*updated 9 November 2013 - This is my version after 3 tweakings and bakings.

Ingredients (i double them to bake in bulk)
1 cup (226 gms) crisco -i used butter instead
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
4 TBS milk 
2 TBS vanilla
2 TBS chia seeds + 6 TBS warm water = chia gel (let sit for 5 minutes to get thick)
Dry ingredients:
3 cup whole wheat flour - i used oat flour
1/2 cup flaxseed flour - i used quinoa flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate m&ms or smarties
1/2 cup of toasted sunflower seeds. You can add more nuts/seeds of any kind. I will increase to 1 cup next time. I was baking for a boy that may not tolerate nuts so i just used up my sunflower seeds

How To:

1. Cream together sugars and butter. Add milk, vanilla and chia gel. (make sure all ingredients are room temperature)
2. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (not m&ms) together. I made my flour on the Thermomix Speed 9 for 9seconds or until fine.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients and carefully stir. Add seeds/nuts
4. Either scoop cookies onto greased baking sheet if you are baking immediately, i put 3 M&Ms or smarties on each cookie. You can opt for just 2. I put the separately like this cause i don't like it to get crushed in the batter.
5. Bake 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees F. 

How I love creating healthy version of cookies, cakes and anything sinful. My son eats snacks that are mostly made from scratch at home. If i do not have time, i will get him store bought treats. But nothing beats having fresh cookies in the lunch box.

I found this recipe where it does not use any egg or flour. Not that i am against it but i love using chia seeds. And this is another method of replacing eggs in baking. - chia gel!

i modified the recipe as it calls for flaxseed meal and wholemeal. I used oat flour and quinoa flour. The distinct smell of quinoa is just lovely. I used the thermomix to mill them into flour.

 

This is my chia gel after sitting in 3 TBS of water for 10 mintues. 

 

 

Unlike the recipe where it mix the M & Ms in the batter, i individually place them as i do not want them squashed

 

 

The recipe was abit sweet. Or i might have put too many M & M on each cookie. But it taste really nice and light. And so good for the kids. I also need to bake it longer as it was too soft. It took me around 15 minutes of baking time. I think it is due to the type of flour i have used in this recipe.

Verdict, the kids love it and i will definitely make more of them soon

 

Oops upside down pic of my smarties cookies. I have adapted this recipe to the right taste/texture.

Thermomix Quiona Bread

 Adapted from:
http://simonesthermomixessentials.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/thermomix-quiona-bread/


Quiona Bread
60 g organic quiona plus extra for sprinkling
60 g buckwheat
40 g linseeds
350 g warm water
350 g bakers flour
7 g yeast (one sachet)
10 g salt
20 g olive oil
Small handful sunflower seeds.
Place buckwheat, quiona and linseeds into mixing bowl and grind for 6 seconds on Speed 7.
Add warm water, bakers flour, yeast, salt and oil and mix for 6 seconds on Speed 7.  Knead for 2 minutes, Closed Lid Position on Interval Speed.  Add a few sunflower seeds in the last few seconds.
Wrap dough in ThermoMat and put in a warm spot for 40 minutes.  Knock down and mould into required shape before leaving to prove for another 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 180˚C.
Brush top of loaf with oil or water, sprinkle with quiona seeds and bake for 40 minutes.  Allow to cool before slicing.