Quinoa Brownies

Brownies For Breakfast

Got your attention, didn’t I?

Isn’t it a wonderful thought?

Well, your idea of brownies for breakfast may differ from mine.  These were Quinoa Breakfast Brownies brought to you by the wonderful blogger Karina from The Gluten-Free Goddess.

I know what you’re thinking.  Quinoa?  In a brownie?  That’s actually what attracted me.  Certainly you know the health benefits of quinoa by now!  Treats like these are guilt-free.  Trust me.  With Karina’s permission, I have reprinted the recipe and noted the changes I made.

Here’s Karina’s recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 8 x 8 pans.*

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:

1 cup rice flour*
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup quinoa flakes
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 2/3 cups sucanat*

In a large measuring cup blend:

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil*
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla*

Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a sturdy wooden spoon until you get a sticky batter.

I used 2 large eggs here but Karina tells you how to make it vegan below (I LOVE that she told us how to do it with or without eggs).  I have made it egg-free many times, however I use 3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce per egg.  Still super yummy.

Make your egg replacement:*

1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
4 tablespoons warm water

Whip the egg replacer ingredients till foamy and frothy.

Add the eggs OR replacer to the batter and combine well. The dough should be thick and rather sticky.

Add:

2 to 4 tablespoons of warm water, as needed to achieve a dough that sticks together when you pinch it- much like cookie dough.

Now add in:

1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped dried fruit
2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped nuts (I added chocolate chips and raisins…who knew it was such a wonderful combo?)*

Stir to combine. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan, and using wet hands, smooth the surface evenly. Place the pan into the center of a pre-heated oven and bake until golden and set – about 22 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is firm. Insert a thin knife to check if you are unsure to make certain the center has baked thoroughly.

Cool on a wire rack. Using a thin sharp knife, cut into squares; wrap them in foil; bag in a freezer storage bag. Freeze. Delicious slightly chilled.

Makes 15 to 18 brownies.

Unfortunately the brownies didn’t last long enough to freeze, or chill.  They lasted until about 2pm when Callum and I finished them off with a cup of tea.  Honestly, these were so good.  They looked good too – very rustic and comfy, like yummy comfort food.  I chose to make half the batch (so only one 8 x 8 pan) and froze the other half.  I love to do this with dough (muffins, cookies, and now breakfast brownies) as it lets me bake something fast when we’re having company or when we really need something delish.

We’ll be hosting a birthday party in a couple of weeks and I think these just made the menu.

*where I made changes to her recipe

The mix just prior to putting it into the pan.

The finished product!