Stephanie's Test Kitchen

I found a tub of quinoa flakes in the pantry and on the same day I came across this recipe on Facebook, by the green press cafe in the CBD. I just knew I had to make the cookies, especially because it’s a ‘use up ingredients in the pantry’ recipe.

These superfood cookies are a yummy source of protein, healthy carbs and good fats, as well as various nutrients. Who’d have thought choc-chip cookies could be good for you. These cookies are gluten, dairy and refined sugar free. They make a good 3pm snack with a cup of tea. Herbal for me.

Not a peanut butter person? Try them with almond butter, another good source of protein and good fats. Whichever nut butter you use, just make sure it’s 100% nuts. If you don’t have quinoa flakes in the cupboard, just sub for oats. The recipe calls for maple syrup, but I only had honey, which is also fine to use and because I only put in 1/4 cup it didn’t make the cookies too sweet which for me is good, so I don’t set off my sweet tooth. I didn’t have any cacao nibs, and if you don’t either you could use dark chocolate buds or chop up a block of dark chocolate. I used up a block of loving earth’s 2 ingredient vegan dark chocolate and they worked very well. I usually buy the loving earth brand of cacao nibs.

The cookies came out soft and chewy and golden brown after 20 minutes in the oven. Having eaten the dough whilst scooping it out on the the baking tray, I already knew these cookies would be yummy. They certainly delivered. Can’t wait to enjoy them at work this week. I feel like they won’t last long, despite getting 16 cookies out of the batch.

Ingredients:

• Quinoa flakes – 2/3 cup
• Cinnamon – 1/2 teaspoon
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
• Banana, ripe – 1
• Peanut butter – 1 cup
• Maple syrup – 1/3 cup
• Cacao nibs – 1/2 cup

Recipe:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the quinoa flakes, cinnamon and baking soda together
2. In another medium bowl mash the banana with a fork
3. Add to the banana the peanut butter and maple syrup and mix with a large rubber spatula until combined
4. Pour in the dry ingredients and slowly mix until everything is combined
5. Fold in the cacao nibs
6. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes in the fridge
7. Preheat oven to 155 degrees, fan forced
8. Line two large baking trays with baking paper
9. Scoop the dough, with a dessert spoon onto prepared baking sheet and slightly press down with the back of a fork
10. Bake for 20 minutes
11. Allow the cookies to cool
12. Cookies stay fresh stored covered at room temperature for up to 7 days – Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months

*Recipe tested from the GreenPress blog*