For this week's Martha Monday's Lyndsey over at The Tiny Skillet selected these Quinoa, Apricot, and Nut Clusters from Martha Stewart. I liked these as they're crunchy and chewy with lots of cardamom flavour as I added a teaspoon of it. Without the added spice, I think these would be very bland. Our daughter had one for breakfast and said "I can't taste anything, just crunch". As with many of Martha's recipes there are lots of steps to this one, but I did skip many of them :)
This was very expensive to make. I've never purchased quinoa so maybe it's always this expensive? Just these 3 ingredients alone were almost $20.00 and I had the rest of what was needed at home, thank goodness.
If my husband likes these, then I'll make them again as they are so healthful. Otherwise, they were too pricey and complicated.
From Martha Stewart Living, October 2004
3/4 cup white quinoa (I used whole grain)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup shelled raw sunflower seeds (mine were already roasted)
1/2 cup shelled raw pistachios, chopped (mine were already roasted)
1 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Vegetable-oil cooking spray (I skipped this)
1 teaspoon cardamom (I added this to the recipe)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa; cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until most liquid is absorbed and quinoa is slightly undercooked, about 12 minutes; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, fluffing with a fork occasionally, until pale golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in a large bowl.
Spread oats on baking sheet; bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add oats to quinoa. Spread seeds on baking sheet; bake until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes (I skipped this step). Add to quinoa mixture; let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Toss nuts, apricots, sugar, and salt with quinoa mixture. Beat honey, oil, and vanilla into eggs; stir into quinoa mixture.
Line a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment; lightly coat with cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto sheet for each cluster; space 3 inches apart. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Store, loosely covered with foil, up to 2 days.
Makes 20
Enjoy!
from "The Cratchits Christmas Dinner"
by Charles Dickens
Illustrated by Matilda Breuer
1953, Spenser Press
Cardamom was a good idea. Yours came out looking nice!
ReplyDeleteOh, yours look good! They seem to have baked better, and the cardamom was a good idea. Mine did not come out as crunchy. I had some for breakfast this morning, sprinkled over yogurt. By the way, I published a draft of my post by accident, before I had the pictures up.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I don't know much about quinoa either (other than the fact that it's healthy), but they sure look good! I will agree with you that that is a bit expensive though.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, cardamom sounds perfect for these! I get my quinoa in bulk at a natural food store right around the corner from me. It's great, if I need a cup or 1/2 cup for any recipe that's what I can get. I can get organic red lentils or rolled oats, raw sugar, grains, rice, you name it. It's cheaper there too. You could use any nuts or dried fruit that you want, if it's cheaper or on sale, or if you like it better. I'd like to try one of yours, could you send it to me? :D
ReplyDeleteThese look so good! I think the kids would like them!! Thanks for sharing! Hope you are having a great week!
ReplyDeleteWendy