quinoa lumps

I'm in the middle of a cleanse. Almost the worst time to be in the middle of a cleanse because we have homemade cookies & candies everywhere! I decided that I could enjoy cookies too if I made some very simple & healthy ones.

I've been eating quinoa by the handfuls since I've been on my cleanse. It is such a wonderful & diverse grain - you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It takes on the qualities of whatever you put in it, and it cooks quickly & stores well in the fridge! Toss it with some agave & cinnamon for breakfast, or onions, garlic, & spinach for a quick and easy dinner. You can also make these delicious cookies I adapted from Simple Spoonful.

Healthy Coconut Quinoa Lumps

1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup raw agave nectar
2 tbsp ground hemp seeds (I will try sunflower seeds next time)
2 cups cooked quinoa (let it cool a bit)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut (flakes would make these even more interesting!)
1/4 cup raw cacao nibs (or, you could try using dark chocolate chips or carob chips)

1.  Pre-heat oven to the lowest setting possible (mine starts at 150).  Line cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper.
2.  Mix together the almond butter, agave, and ground seeds.
3.  Mix in quinoa, oats, and coconut.  Gently fold in cacao nibs.  (tips from simple spoonful - if your quinoa is on the wet side, they may not hold together - try tossing in more almond butter and/or seeds)
4.  Grab a tablespoon full and make in to balls in your hands - make sure they're tightly formed - then place on baking sheet. Flatten with fingers.  (your hands will get messy, which make the lumps hard to form well - rinse off after about every 6 cookies.)
5.  Put in oven and let them set for about 1 to 1+1/2 hours.

I like these at just a bit warm to room temperature. Be sure to store in the refrigerator!