Eat-Clean Recipe :: Crispy Quinoa and Cashew Date Cookies

Hello guys!

Have you ever found serenity and calmness when you're baking? Or the excitement and enthusiasm when you are waiting for the timer to ring off? Because I know I do, but that doesn't mean that girls are meant to be in kitchen all the time lol!

It is just so surreal when I get to try experimenting with new ingredients and it turns out good. I am currently trying out on this unique ingredient called Quinoa [pronounced Keen-Wah]. Pretty sure you have heard it once or twice but never really try it before, am I right to say that?

This superfood is "a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seeds", as stated on Wikipedia, and known to be a high-protein seed, in a way that per 100 calories, it is higher than brown rice, potatoes, barley and millet, but is less than wild rice and oats. Also, it lacks gluten, a.k.a gluten-free food which I will do a separate post on it. Currently, eliminating gluten from my diet (referring to my eating lifestyle), I just found out that I am gluten-intolerance. So, I would update you more about it on another post.

No doubt that Quinoa has just entered my list of superfood. I really reckon you to give it a try by replacing your white rice with this quinoa seed, or making these grain-free, sugar-free and gluten-free cookies recipe that I am going to share today.

Trust me, you won't be able to keep your hands off the cookie jar, 'cos it is happening to me now lol! ;-)

Recipe:
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup quinoa flour*
• 1 1/2 cup cashew flour (or almond flour)
• 1 tbsp Manuka Honey (or pure raw honey)
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Date Syrup (or 1/4 cup honey, and more to taste)
• 1 tbsp Applesauce
• 1 tbsp Macadamia Nut Oil/ Almond Oil/ Grapeseed Oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300°F.
2. Mix quinoa flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add honey and applesauce until crumbly dough forms. Add the honey slowly, making sure the dough is crumbly. The key is to make sure your dough is crumbly, so you can cut cookies out of the dough. Shape the dough in a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Lay parchment paper on the kitchen counter, put the dough in the middle and cover with another parchment paper on the top. Gently roll the dough in 1/4 inch thickness. Using cookie cutter make 2 inches circles and place them on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have about 20 to 24 cookies.
4. Bake cookies for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown, turning it over after 10 minutes mark.
5. Let cookies cool completely and store in air-tight container. 

Making Quinoa Flour* :

1. Pour Quinoa to a non-stick pan and put it on a medium heat.

2.Toast the quinoa in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Quinoa will make a light popping sound, when the toasting begins, for about a minute or two.

4. Let quinoa cool.

5. Add to a food processor and blend on high until you get a fine flour. 

I didn’t want to just be on a diet for a couple of months, I am actually cultivating this healthy lifestyle for  the rest of my life. Right now, I am eating 6-7 small, nutrient-dense meals on 2-3 hours intervals. I realised that meal planning was critical if I wanted to eat 6-7 meals a day! 

The key to eating healthy throughout the day is to keep healthy foods readily available. Trust me, by making your food in advance, you would definitely remain on track without blindly eating whatever food is available in front of your sight. So I learned to make some easy healthy snacks that would satisfy my cravings.

Here's a cookie for you, and as always, eat clean and stay beautiful.

Eat-Clean Recipe In A Minute :: 2- Ingredients Chewy Banana Oat Cookies

Hello guys! As much as I want to share all the recipes with you, it seems like I am pretty caught up with my work as a Marketing Associate (lol boasting!). Bear with me if I can't update my blog that often.

I shall share with you since you are curious with my job lol. Simply check out on these few products and do grab them at your nearest Cold Storage, trust me it's the best shower gel you can ever use; Imperial Leather Foamburst, and Original Source!

Every now and then, I will try to post some quick and easy recipe, and by that, I meant a no-brainer recipe that is easy to follow. Preparing healthy foods need not necessarily be difficult and take much of your time. If you are always busy, then "Eat-Clean Recipe In A Minute" shall make your life in kitchen much simpler.

Have you ever tried googling for easy snacks recipes to make something to munch on while doin' your work? Look no further, here is a recipe in a minute that I am going to share which is completely clean and natural!

Can you believe it, you only require 2 main ingredients to make these delicious cookies, and you can add in whatever you like to the cookie dough. Ready for the recipe, here it is!

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe bananas, mashed (the more ripe the more sweeter!)
• 1 cup rolled oats flour (or 1/2 cup oat flour and 1/3 cup rolled oats for more texture and less chewy)
• Optional toppings: Chopped nuts (almond, cashew, macadamia, peanuts), unsweetened cocoa powder, raw cocoa nibs, unsweetened chocolate chips, raisins etc. 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
2. In large bowl combined mashed banana with oats until smooth. Add in 1/2 cup of your favorite add-ins; I used raw cocoa nibs and pure vanilla powder.
3. On a baking sheet (or greased tray), drop dough by large tablespoons onto cookie sheet; flatten a bit with a rubber spatula. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. 
4. Cookies can be keep in a covered container for a few days, or they can be frozen and reheated. 

And there you have it, my easy "go-to" cookie recipe! It usually takes me only 20 minutes to make these cookies, including the baking time. Did I mention that if you do not own an oven, you can simply use your toaster oven to bake this, just make sure you keep a look out, lest you want to have burnt cookies for breakfast. :p

Now, I think I need to get this straight, sometimes clean-eating food may taste different than as "normal" processed food, it may even taste bad for some of you. If you have never eaten this way before it may take some practice and some time to get 100% "clean". Let your taste buds go through an adjustment period; give yourself time - I promise you, your body will LOVE you and you will reap the long term benefits!

Much love, stay healthy!