Variations on a Theme: Peanut Butter Quinoa Muffins

The other day, my friend Morgan posted this wonderful recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Quinoa Muffins on her blog "Peaches, Please." Sounds great, right? I thought so, too.

Today, I decided to make these at home, except (you see what's coming, don't you?)...

Yes, I had no bananas.  Sorry. I warned you.

Meanwhile back at the point....I had to improvise. So, with apologies to Morgan, here's my version:

Ingredients

1 cup Quinoa, uncooked
2 cups water
2 cups flour (about 1/3 of total amount as whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
8 oz. applesauce
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Honey
1/2 cup fat free milk

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Prepare your muffin tins. I use a baking spray.
• Cook quinoa as per directions on the package. The brand I use needs 2 cups of water to cook one cup of uncooked quinoa.
• While the quinoa is cooking, prepare your dry ingredients: 
• Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and walnuts. Set aside. 
• In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients:
• Applesauce, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, honey, and milk. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer. 
• When quinoa is done, let cool and add to the wet ingredients. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix till combined. 
• Scoop into muffin tins.
• Bake 25 - 30 minutes.
• When the muffins have finished cooking, cool in the times for 5-10 minutes, then transfer out of tins to wire rack to cool completely. 

Morgan - thanks for the inspiration! These are delicious!

Kale and Quinoa Salad

I first had this at the cafeteria at work and asked the head chef about it. She admitted that she had googled "Kale and Quinoa" recipes and improvised from there. I did the same.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups vegetable broth
1 head Lacinto Kale, stems removed and discarded. Leaves chopped fine
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

• Cook quinoa as per directions on package. I cooked mine in vegetable broth instead of plain water. When cooked, 
• In a large bowl, combine garlic, tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, hot sauce and honey. Mix well and set aside. 
• Chop onion and red pepper. 
• Add chopped Kale to bowl with tahini mixture. Mix well. 
• Add onion and red pepper. 
• When the quinoa is cool, add to the bowl. Mix well. 

Eat. Then eat more.