These chocolate quinoa crispies are nutty, crunchy and chocolatey and act as the perfect topping for your breakfast bowls, or even just as a healthy snack.
Okay, so I’ll admit- I’m a rice person through and through. Blame it on my Indian roots or whatever, but the idea of having a meal using millets or almost any other grains (even quinoa), didn’t seem very appealing.
Sure, I know quinoa is great for your health in more ways than one, but I just HAD to find a way to get it on my plate rather than just using it as a replacement for rice.
And that’s when I ended up with this recipe!
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Why Try These Chocolate Quinoa Crispies?
For me, this recipe was a great way to put some of that extra quinoa to use. I might have tried adding it to my salads and other recipes, but I really wanted to go the extra mile and try out something a bit different.
These chocolatey delicious bits will add a nice texture to your breakfast bowl or yogurt bowl, and also give you that iron and protein boost at the same time- how cool is that?
Ingredients For the Recipe
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 7-8 almonds, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
How to Make the Chocolate Quinoa Crispies
Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F, stirring halfway through.
Allow the crisp to cool down completely. Transfer to a glass jar or an airtight container and store in a cool and dry place.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve added some almonds to the quinoa crispies to add an extra element of crunchiness and a bump of nutrition. You can also add in some pecans or walnuts or any other seeds of your choice.
White quinoa is the most commonly available variety, and it is easier to use too- since you’ll be able to spot the browning easily. However, you could use black and red quinoa for this recipe too- they crisp up wonderfully.
To make this a more fun snack, you can also use a combination of these quinoa, and follow the recipe as is.
The fun part about these quinoa crispies is that you can bring in a lot of different flavor variations to it.
If you prefer giving the crispies a savory touch, you can toss the oven roasted ones in some paprika and salt, or some classic salt and pepper if you want to keep it simple.
To amp up these crispies, you can also season them with some truffle salt.
The chocolate quinoa crispies can do well in any airtight container. You don’t need to refrigerate it- it can stay perfectly well at room temperature too. In fact, refrigeration will rob the crispies of their crunchiness, which is not what you’d want.
Just remember to choose a cool and dark place to store it- ideally one of your kitchen cabinets.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
Making these crispies might be super simple, but having these few tips and tricks up your sleeve can really make a difference.
- Remember to keep an eye on the quinoa and move it around a bit during the cooking process to ensure that it doesn’t burn.
- The idea is to get the quinoa to have a light brown color and a little crunchiness. You can test this after it cools down.
- Remember that the quinoa will continue to cook for a while even after it is out of the oven- so you might want to get it out a few minutes earlier.
- To lend some extra earthy flavor to these chocolate quinoa crispies, add a pinch or two of cinnamon powder into it.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Using these chocolate quinoa crispies is super easy! You can top them on your plain oatmeal or breakfast bowl, or use them to add some texture to your Greek yogurt and turn it into a healthier snack.
If you’ve tried your hands at a savory variant, you can use it over your soups and salad bowls, or even over your favorite pasta if you want to lend it a bit of crunch factor.
Enjoyed trying out this recipe? Inspired enough to try out some more fun and make-ahead snacks and condiments? Here are a few good ones you can check out.
Chocolate Quinoa Crispies
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa cooked
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 7-8 almonds coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F, stirring halfway through.
- Allow the crisp to cool down completely. Transfer to a glass jar or an airtight container and store in a cool and dry place.