Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies, Cookies, Dessert 11

If you haven’t heard of quinoa then you might be saying to yourself, “Kwinoah…what the heck is that?” (Ha, like that guy on Emily’s season of the Bachelorette! “Is this quinoa? It is quinoa. You guys like quinoa? It’s a very good fiber.” And then he cried when he got sent home.)

Quinoa is pronounced “Keenwah” and it is a whole grain (technically speaking, a seed) that is high in fiber and is a complete protein (provides all 9 essential amino acids). It is most commonly used in its whole form as a side item or as an entrée much like rice would be used. Lucky for me, it can also be ground into flour for baking!

For my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, I like to use quinoa flour as an ingredient. It has a pretty mild flavor and enhances the nutritional content of cookies. What could be better than that?!

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Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Click to Print This Recipe!

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quinoa flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used one bag)

 

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First of all, I like to put on some jammin’ tunes while I bake.

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Okay, start by preheating the oven to 325°F (165°C). Then grab a bowl for your dry ingredients and add one cup quinoa flour,

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one cup all purpose flour,

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half of a teaspoon baking soda and one teaspoon salt.

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Sift together and then set aside. Next, grab a stick of Earth Balance (1/2 cup) and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds.

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Then add 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening to the melted Earth Balance and melt for another 30 seconds in the microwave.

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Grab a second bowl for the sugars and then add the melted Earth Balance.

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Beat ingredients until well blended.

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Next, add in a whole egg, one egg yolk, and the vanilla extract.

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Beat again until mixed well.

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Then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet while continuing to use the mixer.

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Once you have added all of the flour, a dough-like consistency should form.

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Add in an entire bag of chocolate chips (yes!) and fold in with a spatula.

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I personally like to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to an hour before I roll them into cookies. Once the dough is ready, roll into one inch size balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

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Cook in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until light brown around the edges. These cookies are meant to be crispy on the edges yet chewy in the middle so if you like more of a crispy cookie or if you want to make them larger then just cook them for a little longer.

Be sure to enjoy your warm cookie with a cold glass of milk. Open-mouthed smile

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Speaking of milk, I am in love with this milk glass I found at Anthropologie a while back. It has the word milk written in five different languages.

1. English (obviously!)

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2. Swedish

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3. Spanish

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4. French

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5. and German

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Isn’t it cute? Be right back

Well, I’m off to get dinner ready and then catch up on a few episodes of Girls.

Girls_Poster Rev2.indd

 

I hope you all are having or have had a relaxing Sunday evening! See you soon…

 

An article of possible interest:

The 11 Healthiest Whole Grains

by Sarah on January 27, 2013  //  Cookies, Cookies, Dessert
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