Quinoa, Banana and Pecan Muffins

I’d always thought of quinoa as a savoury food – to be used in a salad or as a side dish instead of rice. But I stumbled across a recipe via Cake and Carrots website that I decided I’d give a go for muffins.  I love the idea of using quinoa in muffins as it’s a complete protein so will make a muffin that helps keep you full in between meals.  Coupled with banana and pecan, these muffins moist, quite dense and tasty and go very nicely with my morning coffee.

Quinoa, Banana and Pecan muffins, adapted slightly from Cake and Carrots

Ingredients

3/4 cup quinoa + 1.5 cups water
2 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
2 eggs
1/2 cup greek yoghurt
1/2 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly. This is important as it rinses off the bitter coating. Put quinoa and the water in medium pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 18-20 min.  Turn off and let it stand for 10 minutes, covered. This will make around 2 cups of cooked quinoa.
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Butter and flour one 12- muffin pan
3. In a large bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, yoghurt, brown sugar and vanilla extract.  Mix to combine.  Add 2 cups cooked quinoa, and pecans.  Mix and set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix just until combined. Don’t over mix
6. Fill each muffin tin with 1/3 cup of the batter.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brown. Remove from the oven and let muffins cool in the an for 12 minutes.  Tip the muffins out of the pan and leave to  cool on a wire rack.