If you’re friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me profess my love for this recipe over the past week or so. I subscribe to Minimalist Baker’s emails (and recommend you do, too!), and was intrigued when this one popped into my inbox recently. I love that Minimalist Baker’s recipes tend to have few ingredients, and most are on the healthy (and easy to prep) side. I had all the ingredients for this recipe on hand, and decided to give it a try last weekend.
I sure am glad I did.
I quickly realized that I’d stumbled on the PERFECT food-based gift item (especially for the holiday season). It’s so simple to make, presents beautifully, and it’s sweet and delicious but is a much healthier alternative to the traditional cookies, cakes, fudges, and brittles that abound this time of year. (Don’t get me wrong — I LOVE those treats, too. This one just stood out as being memorable.
Actually, as I type this post, I have my fourth batch of this brittle in the oven (making my kitchen smell incredible, by the way). That’s right — I’ve made a whopping four batches of this stuff in under a week. (The recipe is easy to double, too. Another plus!)
(One quick note: My first batch of brittle turned out perfectly, but my second batch was gummy in the middle when the sides had crisped up. If this happens to you, just let the brittle cool, cut off the edges and put them in an airtight container, then put the still-gummy middle portion of the brittle back into the oven for a few minutes to let it crisp up, adding it to the same airtight container when completely cooled. It’s not a lost cause if this happens to you, too! Mine still turned out great.)
A big shout-out to Minimalist Baker for this amazing recipe, which I know I’ll enjoy making for friends and family for years to come.
If you’re interested in making a batch, too, here are the deets:
Quinoa Brittle
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped (I use the pre-chopped baking pieces from Trader Joe’s — extra easy!)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (you can find this at Whole Foods, among other places)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add quinoa, pecans, oats, chia seeds, coconut sugar, and sea salt, stirring to combine.
- Place a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add coconut oil and maple syrup to the pan. Warm for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the coconut oil and syrup are completely combined.
- Pour oil/syrup mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well to coat completely.
- Spoon onto prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer (trying to get it as even as possible) using a metal spoon.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan around and bake for another 5-10 minutes. The brittle is done when it’s a deep brown color. (Don’t worry if the edges look to be over-baking — they’re caramelizing!)
- Let brittle cool completely on baking sheet and then break into pieces using a sharp knife.
- Store brittle in a sealed container (keeps up to one week).
