The Secret Recipe Club: Rice Crispy Treats

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Today is Group B’s reveal day for The Secret Recipe Club. I had no problem choosing a recipe from the blog assigned to me, Big Fat Baker. One thing we have in common is our love for dessert! She has some fantastic looking recipes but I went with the most simplest recipe on her site, rice crispy treats. She uses the basic recipe off the back of the cereal box to make her treats. She recommends to measure our everything exactly, so that way the treats come out super gooey and delicious.




You will need exactly 40 large marshmallows. I actually counted mine out and my bag had exactly 40. These treats definitely hit the spot for me. I even decorated them with the white chocolate M&Ms. Boy were they delicious. I took the rest of them to work and within an hour they were all gone!



Homemade Rice Crispy Treats
Adapted from Big Fat Baker

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
40 regular sized marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy treat cereal

Directions:
In a large saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

Using a greased or buttered spatula, stir in the cereal. Stir until fully coated and mixed. Pour into a greased or parchment lined 9x13 pan and spread evenly. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

 

And if you want to spruce up your treats, add whatever mix-in you desire. I decided to go with the white chocolate M&Ms. These were the best and so good! My favorite part is when the treats were still warm and the M&Ms were warm, they just melt in your mouth. A bit messy but well worth it!

Always,
Fallon
PS: Sorry for the delay. I had to add in the blog hop and it totally messed up my entire post since I use Windows Live Writer.

Homemade Coconut Butter

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If you don’t know me already you would know I’m kind of a nut butter snob. I like to buy different kinds of almond butters, peanut butters, fancy butters etc. I usually have about 4-5 different butters in the pantry. One that I’ve been lacking in is coconut butter. I love when it gets melty and then I’ll drizzle it on top of an ice cold smoothie. It hardens up and becomes a fun chew in the mouth. A jar of coconut butter can be quite pricey and the other day I wanted to make my own. Unsweetened coconut was on sale at Wholefoods, couldn’t be better timing!

I wanted to see how well my Vita Mix would work but in the end I think a food processor gets it to a smoother consistency. To help the coconut smooth out I added a dab of coconut oil. The blades from the Vita Mix help to warm up the mixture. At room temp the coconut butter is quite firm but with a minor nuke in the microwave, its tasty, melty self can be drizzled over anything.. ice cream anyone? With the warmer weather I drink more smoothies, so I’m glad to have coconut butter back in my pantry!

Homemade Coconut Butter
By Fallon

Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened coconut (use a fresh better for best consistency)
1 teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil

Directions
In a blender or food processor, process coconut for 4-5 minutes. If needed scrape down the sides to get an even consistency. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to help the process smooth out. Eventually the coconut will become buttery and will warm up to make for an easy drizzle. Store in a jar and place in the pantry. When needed, nuke for a few seconds in the microwave or boil up a pot of water, remove from burner and place jar in pot to warm up.

My favorite way is having it drizzled on top of a smoothie but I tend to sneak in a spoonful of this stuff instead. Coconut gives you a nice energy boost and has wonderful antibacterial fighting properties for your stomach and well being. Yay for coconut!!

Fallon  

It’s a S’mores Party!

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S’mores Fudge with Spiced Rum

I may not be around as much as I’d like to be but I couldn’t leave you guys out of this fun party. Bloggers are linking up their favorite S’more recipes and joining the party over at Cookies & Cups. I linked up a few of my recipes like S’mores Cake, S’mores Cookie Bars and S’mores Fudge with Spiced Rum.

Come check out the party at Cookie & Cups. If you have any fun S’more recipes you should join the party and also check out the other fabulous recipes while you are over there.

I really want to try out this recipe S’mores Snack Mix. Yummy!!

It is Friday but only my Wednesday!!! So I guess you could say it is Hump Day too? ;)

Always,
Fallon

Quick and Healthy Turkey Bolognese

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I always have to find a way to make ground turkey just taste good. I can’t stand how dry it is when made into turkey burger and usually flavorless. Turkey is a great alternative for lean protein but trying to find ways to make it taste good is tricky. My favorite way to enjoy ground turkey is cooked to be taco meat for Mexican night. That sounds good but I was really in the mood for a hearty tomato sauce. I remember last year I tried out Barefoot Contessa’s Weeknight Bolognese. I used grassfed beef and my own homemade sauce. This time around I wasn’t going to spend several hours in the kitchen making my sauce again (no time!) and I had this turkey that needed to be cooked up.

My favorite store bought sauce was in the pantry and then a light bulb clicked. I can make a bolognese sauce with ground turkey and my favorite sauce, it will be just as delicious and will be very quick to put together.

I didn’t use this sauce to top on pasta, instead I used it to top on sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables. It was a quick meal to take to work and kept me satisfied for hours. This recipe makes a lot and you can easily freeze it but that wasn’t the case for me.

Quick and Healthy Turkey Bolognese
By Fallon

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound organic ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cup red wine (make sure it is a wine you love to drink)
2 cups of your favorite red sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons coconut milk (cream or half and half works too)

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, crumbling the turkey with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.

Add the red sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

To finish the sauce, add the coconut milk and remaining wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. The sauce will be thick and hearty.

The reason why I used coconut milk is because when I use it for my iced coffees, it is super creamy and delicious. You really can’t taste the coconut and I wanted to see how it worked in the sauce. My mom who isn’t a coconut lover said she didn’t even detect any flavor of it after I told her I added coconut milk.

If you are a pasta fan this will be delicious with rigatoni pasta or if your trying to watch your carbs like me, sweet potatoes and vegetables are just as good!

Enjoy,
Fallon    

Baked Kale Chips

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Hey guys!!! I’m sorry in the delay of posts. I’m swamped by work but hopefully that will change soon. I miss my blog!

I made these kale chips like a month ago and just sharing them now. I’ve been buying the small bags of kale chips from Whole Paycheck and I needed a solution. Trader Joe’s sells their kale pre-cut and washed in a bag and makes baking kale chips so simple. Of course you have to eat these the day they are made or they will become soft if saved for leftovers, but will still be delicious.

Kale Chips
By Fallon

Ingredients
3-4 handfuls of kale, chopped and rinsed (I used half the bag from Trader Joe’s)
Cooking spray
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional, nutritional yeast would work as well)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a large baking sheet spray with cooking spray. Spread kale throughout the pan being careful not to overlap too much. Spray with cooking spray and season with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and shake around. The kale will start to crisp up and brown on the edges. Cook for another 5 minutes and remove.

Kale should be crispy and before you know it, you will be eating the whole baking sheet of kale!

Best snack ever and full of nutrition!

Fallon

Vegan "Peanut Butter" Quinoa Chocolate Cake

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A sinfully delicious chocolate cake.

Chocolate. Oh, chocolate. How I love and adore you so. You are the peanut butter to my jelly. The vegan butter to my gluten-free bread. You light up my day and bring joy to my life. There really isn't much better.
Are you a chocolate lover like me? Care to admit that you might even be obsessed? Don't be shy...let it out and share your passion with the world. Chocolate is amazing. It's worthy of our love and should be celebrated.

Moist, rich, and totally decadent.

In my mind, there are few things better than chocolate and peanut butter. The combination is flawless, effortless, and delicious. It's like heaven in a spoonful. If I could eat some form of chocolate and peanut butter everyday and never get sick of it, I would.  It's that good.
So when I set out to make this cake, I knew I wanted to incorporate that peanut butter flavor. But I didn't feel like adding the extra fat and calories that peanut butter brings to the table. I needed an alternative. Little did I know that alternative would be quinoa.
Did you know that when you toast quinoa and then grind it to make a flour it takes on the smell and flavor of peanut butter? I didn't either, but when I heard this rumor, I had to try it out for myself. 
Let me tell you, the rumors are true. Toasted quinoa flour brings an amazing, nutty quality to baked goods that is unparalleled. It has the flavor of peanut butter without the added calories and fat. It's astonishing. It's just another reason why this little seed is the most amazing food on earth.

Vegan "Peanut Butter" Quinoa Chocolate Cake

This cake is a total winner in my book. It's super easy to make, is fairly low in calories, it's vegan and gluten-free, and still has that rich, moist texture that you crave in a chocolate cake. It's totally worthy of any chocolate celebration.
Vegan "Peanut Butter" Quinoa Chocolate Cakeadapted from Veggie Grettieserves 4 small pieces
ingredients:

• 1/4 cup raw carob chips (or chocolate chips if you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk (or any other kind of milk)
• 2 tablespoons organic unsweetened Vermont applesauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons toasted quinoa flour (see notes below)
• 1 tablespoon raw cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia (more if you like sweeter cakes)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon guar gum
• Unsweetened shredded coconut for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the inside of a small, round springform pan (I used a 4" pan) with cooking spray and set aside.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside.
Melt the carob chips and coconut sugar together in a double boiler. Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and add the remaining wet ingredients, whisking them all together until you have a uniform chocolatey liquid. 
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until you have a brownie batter-like consistency. It will be thick and kind of fluffy.
Pour the chocolate batter into the greased springform pan and bake in the center of a warm oven for 11 minutes. The less cook time, the more gooey the center of the cake will be. If you're looking for a molten type cake, try baking this for 9 - 10 minutes. 
Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, release from the pan, cut into quarters, sprinkle with coconut and enjoy with a delicious side of ice cream!




how to make toasted quinoa flour:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Add 1 or 2 cups (depending how much flour you would like) onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Continue to check the quinoa throughout the process, moving it around the sheet so it doesn't burn. You want it to be nice and golden brown when you're done.

Once the quinoa is nicely toasted, grind it in a spice grinder, blender or food processor, until you have a fine flour. If you notice that the flour still seems kind of gritty and not all the quinoa was ground, put it through a fine mesh strainer. Keep the extra quinoa grits - I'm planning to experiment using them like cornmeal!

Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two months.

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Gluten-Free Banana Bread Muffins

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Healthy, fruit filled, gluten-free muffins.

Muffins are just one of those things that brighten up my mornings. They bring a smile to my face and make my taste buds sing with joy. They're comforting. They're delicious. They're amazing. They're the perfect breakfast treat. 
I love muffins.

And if you're like me, then you're also one of those people who loves fruity muffins. Chunks of fresh fruit or berries, dried fruit or simply pureed fruit for that kick of added flavor, fruit-filled muffins are simply the best.




Lately I've been craving banana bread, but have been wanting to skip the whole bread part of it. I didn't want to wait for it to bake. I didn't feel like having just a slice. I wanted something that I could cup in my hand, slather with vegan butter or creamy almond butter, and eat slowly, thoroughly enjoying each and every bite.

I wanted a muffin.

I wanted that simple, compact and easy-to-eat breakfast that I've enjoyed since I was a little girl. I wanted banana bread in a muffin.



And banana bread muffins we have, the gluten-free version of course. Slightly sweet and super moist, these muffins are satisfying my craving and more. They're taking me to my happy place. And it gets better with every bite.

Sayonara banana bread craving, hello banana bread muffins. It's wonderful to meet you. And I do believe that we may or may not have just become best friends. You're welcome back to my breakfast party anytime.

But who would be upset about being best friends with a muffin? Especially if it was a banana bread muffin.

Not me.

Gluten-free Banana Bread Muffins

Gluten-Free Banana Bread Muffins
Adapted from Gluten-Free Goddess
serves 6 muffins

If you've followed the Queen of Quinoa lately, then you know I have fallen in love with toasted quinoa flour. It's amazing. Nutty, rich and tastes like peanut butter. Yes, peanut butter. And what goes better than bananas and peanut butter?

ingredients:

• 1 large mashed ripe banana
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup organic Vermont maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large organic free-range egg
• 1/8 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup toasted quinoa flour (see this post for directions)
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon guar gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup walnuts (any kind of nuts would work)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 6 muffin pan with silicone or paper liners and set aside.

In a stand up mixer or large mixing bowl, beat all wet ingredients together until fully combined.

In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir to combine or until you have a nice smooth batter.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the center of a warm oven for 14 - 16 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Enjoy these muffins served warm, topped with vegan butter or creamy almond butter, next to your favorite mug of morning tea or coffee.

Cinco de Mayo Quinoa Breakfast

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Happy Cinco de Mayo mis amores!

What can I say? I woke up this morning feeling a deep-seeded urge to celebrate this momentous occasion in style with a superbly fabulous breakfast.

Usually, at least back in my college hay-days, Cinco de Mayo meant margaritas in the sun, burritos for lunch, shrimp on the grill for dinner. Oh and did I mention margaritas? Basically, it meant tequila and lots of it.

Now I'm feeling more grown up - it's hard to spend all day drinking. My body gets tired. I'm not saying that I still don't enjoy my drinks (because I most certainly do), but I'm happier waking up on a Saturday and not feeling like dirt, feeling ready to take on the day and get stuff done.

And it all starts with a power charged breakfast.




We start this morning with the basics. Mexican flavors and ingredients at their best. At first glance it may seem like we're making guacamole, but don't let these fabulous foods fool you. We have another delicious quinoa power breakfast in the making.




At the base, this breakfast is comprised of all my favorite foods: tomatoes, limes, avocado, kale and quinoa. Topped with a warm fried egg, with the gooey yolk oozing into the quinoa? Mmm...seriously tasty.

This breakfast is like a fiesta in your mouth. It's light, bright and super flavorful, plus it's packed with tons of nutrients and will keep you energized for the day ahead. Trust me, this recipe is one hundred percent worthy of a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Fried egg over Cinco de Mayo Quinoa

I posted a photo of a similar breakfast two weeks back on the Queen of Quinoa Facebook page (have you liked me yet??) and I got so much positive feedback that I just had to share my recipe with you all. This time around I spiced up the quinoa a little by adding cilantro and lime, and it just served to highlight the other ingredients more. Absolutely sensational.

Cinco de Mayo Quinoa Breakfast
serves 2

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 cup steamed kale, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 2 organic free-range eggs
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Hot sauce to taste

Place the quinoa and 1 cup filtered water into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. When boiling, turn down to medium-low, cover and let simmer for 8 - 10 minutes. When the water has been absorbed, remove the quinoa from the heat, keeping the cover on and let sit for 5 minutes.
When the quinoa is slightly cooled and fluffy, add the cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine. Add the kale and tomatoes, gently tossing the ingredients together. Finally, add the avocado, gently folding it into the quinoa mixture to ensure they keep their shape and don't get smooshed. Set aside and cover with a dish towel.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat on the stove. Spray with non-stick spray and crack both eggs into the pan. Depending on your preference and how runny you like the egg, your cooking time will vary. We like over medium, so we cooked the egg about 1 minute on one side and flipped it over for another 45 seconds or so. 
Serve the quinoa mixture on two dishes and top each with an egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and maybe a touch of hot sauce (if you can handle the heat!) and thoroughly enjoy. 
Ole!

Double Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

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Double chocolate? No problem.

Sometimes a girl just needs her chocolate. Am I right?

Chocolate is just one of those things that makes our life better, right ladies? Sorry gents, I'm not trying to exclude you intentionally, but for us women chocolate is simply magical.

For me, when the chocolate craving hits, it hits hard. It's all I can think about and it won't stop until I find something that's full of chocolatey goodness. Sometimes it's a piece of dark chocolate, other times it's a rich chocolate cake. Then there's the chocolate cookie craving. That one is on a level of its own.


I'm not one who usually likes chocolate cookies. Many times I find them too sweet, not dark enough, and packed with extra ingredients that I just do not care for.

White chocolate chips? No thanks.

Macadamia nuts? I'll pass.

But oats? Carob chips? Bring it on.



It didn't take me long to come up with this recipe. Usually my recipes start from a craving or from inspiration from my fellow food bloggers, usually both. The same old, same old with this one. The chocolate craving hit as I was browsing Gluten-Free Goddess recipes, and my mind immediately started turning.

I knew I wanted a deeply chocolatey, light, flavorful cookie, but more importantly I wanted it to be healthy (well as healthy a cookie can be).

When making a healthier cookie, I like start with the flour and go from there. I try to incorporate the richer, more nutritious flours into my baked goods for added nutrients. For this cookie I chose buckwheat as my star. With its unique flavor, buckwheat brings a rich and earthy quality to baked goods and is one of my favorite ingredients to play around with. It's so tasty.

Double Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

Being the queen of quinoa has it's perks. I get to play and experiment with this fabulous ingredient, trying to incorporate it into most of my recipes. This cookie recipe is no exception. Instead of using quinoa flour, like in my Vegan "Peanut Butter" Chocolate Cake or my Banana Bread Muffins, I used quinoa flakes.

Quinoa flakes are great in cookies because they behave very similarly to oats by bringing great texture, but they also bring the health benefits of this amazing little seed.

Double Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies
adapted from Gluten-Free Goddess
makes 12 cookies

ingredients:

• ¼ cup  + 2 tbsp buckwheat flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• ½ quinoa flakes
• ½ teaspoon guar gum
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp organic Vermont Maple syrup
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 large free range egg
• 1/2 cup raw carob chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, quinoa flakes and other dry ingredients (minus the sugar) in medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients and beat with the coconut sugar until creamed. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until you have a thick, cookie-like dough.
Spoon the dough on the parchment lined baking sheet. Smooth over with the back of a wet metal spoon and slightly flatten (this is optional, but make the cookies more uniform in shape).
Bake in the center of a warm oven for 12 - 16 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the top of the cookies is still slightly tender to the touch.
Cool on a wire rack for 5 - 10 minutes and enjoy!
Dunk these babies in a glass of almond milk (or regular milk if you so choose) and relish in the chocolatey goodness that you just created.

We're moving!!

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I have big news: the Queen of Quinoa is moving!

Make sure all your links are updated - we're going to be living at queenofquinoa.me!

I'm sorry if it seems like I've been a bit MIA lately, but I've been busy getting my new site up and running. I'm super excited about this move and can't wait to see you all over there! Please bear with me as we work out the kinks and I would love to hear what you think.

In case you missed them, here are my latest posts:


Detox Salad {gluten-free & vegan}



Balsamic Strawberry & Rhubarb Crisp


Mango Cardamom Juice