quinoa Archives - Page 4 of 8 - My Whole Food Life

Quinoa Granola Bars (Vegan and Gluten Free)

January 6, 2015May 27, 2017 Melissa King 45 Comments

Quinoa Granola Bars. Have you been wanting to get more quinoa into your diet? These Quinoa Granola Bars would be a great way to start.

Why is quinoa so great? It’s packed with a good amount of iron and fiber that will help keep you full. Quinoa is also one of the only plant based complete proteins.

Which means it contains all 9 amino acids that our body requires for nutrition. It has a nutty flavor. Since quinoa is technically a seed, it is grain free as well.

It is a perfect option for those who cannot tolerate oats. I used quinoa flakes to make these Quinoa Granola Bars. They look almost like quick oats. If you like homemade snack bar recipes, you may want to check out the rest of my snack bar recipes.

This healthy granola bar recipe is super easy to make. In fact, there is no baking required. All you need is 7 ingredients to make them. If you needed a nut free option for school lunch boxes, I think sunflower butter could easily be replaced for the almond butter I used.

These Quinoa Granola Bars are vegan, gluten free and grain free. This recipe is great because you can use it as a base to create your own bars.

I can think of many fun ingredients to add. They would never get boring. I hope you enjoy! You may also like my German Chocolate Quinoa Brownies.

Cheesy Vegan Quinoa Bites

December 27, 2014December 27, 2014 Melissa King 37 Comments

You guys!! My husband made the most amazing Cheesy Vegan Quinoa Bites! There are tons of quinoa bite recipes on the web, but almost ALL of them contain cheese. So he set out to make some Cheesy Vegan Quinoa Bites. He totally outdid himself with this one!! This is definitely a recipe we will make often in our house! He is just so much better at the savory dishes than I am. A few of his other recipes are very popular on the blog. Like the Sweet Potato Chili and the Pumpkin Enchiladas.

He made these in jumbo sized muffin pans. However, I HIGHLY suggest making them in standard sized muffin pans. I will mention the cooking time for both versions in the recipe. These are just perfect. They are crispy on the outside and a little gooey in the middle. These cheesy vegan quinoa bites are also gluten free in addition to being vegan. 🙂

German Chocolate Quinoa Brownies

December 3, 2014May 30, 2017 Melissa King 28 Comments

German Chocolate Quinoa Brownies. I have a treat for you guys today! You are going to love these German chocolate vegan quinoa brownies.

If you are a fan of the quinoa brownie recipe already up on the blog, you will love this latest twist! Especially if you like anything German chocolate flavored.

These German chocolate gluten free quinoa brownies are a cinch to make too. I used my vegan sweetened condensed milk recipe for this.

These quinoa brownies would be perfect for holiday parties. I promise no one with ever know they are made healthier!

Not only are these brownies made a little healthier, they also pack a protein punch. Quinoa is a plant based complete protein. 🙂

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

November 24, 2014 Melissa King Leave a comment

Last year I made a stuffed acorn squash with wild rice and apples. It was a hit, so I made a Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash this year. I love the presentation of the stuffed acorn squash. So pretty. This quinoa stuffed acorn squash is very easy to make! You can make the filling a day in advance if you like. Then all you need to do it roast the squash the day of. If you need more vegan Thanksgiving ideas, you may like this post.

The sweetness of the acorn squash goes so well with the quinoa. I added the cranberries for a little tart flavor too. I used fruit sweetened cranberries instead of cranberries sweetened with sugar. So they are a little on the tart side, but work well here. This would be a great main meal option for your vegan or vegetarian guests. It’s quite filling!

Quinoa & Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

October 10, 2014October 10, 2014 Melissa King 13 Comments

We are headed to Disney World in a just a couple days. Eek! So I have been trying to clean out my fridge. That is how this Quinoa & Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze came about. It’s so delicious! I love when you can make a good meal out of the extras in your fridge. I think you could probably add many other vegetables to this as well. I think carrots, sweet potato or squash would be great additions as well. I always keep some kind of cooked grain on hand in the fridge so I can add it to meals throughout the week. This Quinoa & Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze is gluten free and vegan. 🙂 If you have been wanting to try quinoa, I highly recommend this. Another favorite quinoa dish of mine is my Quinoa, Tomato and Avocado Salad. I also use quinoa in breakfast recipes like my Slow Cooker Breakfast Quinoa.

Roasting the Brussel sprouts, onions and garlic in the balsamic glaze helps them develop a sweetness that is so yummy! I added almonds for a nice crunch and an added protein boost. I wanted to add hazelnuts, but I was out of them. Honestly, I think just about any nut will do in this recipe.

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bake

October 9, 2014May 23, 2017 Melissa King 62 Comments

Quinoa is not just for savory dishes. It can be used in many sweet recipes such as this Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bake. Even those this Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bake closely resembles muffins, I decided they were a little too soft to call them muffins.

These almost remind me of my baked oatmeal recipes. This is the kind of breakfast you eat with a fork more than your hand. If you like baked oatmeal, but do not tolerate oats well, this is the perfect alternative.

Not only is this Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bake tasty, it also has no added sugars! I sweetened mine with dates, apples and applesauce.

This healthy breakfast quinoa bake is vegan and gluten free. I made mine into jumbo sized muffins, but you can probably bake the whole thing in a pan as well.

You may have to adjust the cooking time though. This would make a great weekend breakfast. Your house will smell amazing as it cooks too!