Quinoa Crunch

By Niecer

Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fat, a handful of this crunch sticks with me and tides me over until my next meal. Enjoy this healthy snack by the handful or sprinkled over fresh fruit, applesauce, or smoothies for some added crunch. For extra sweetness, stir 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit into the mixture upon removing it from the oven.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, covered with water and soaked at room temperature for 5-6 hours
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, pecans, or almonds, chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 15 drops liquid stevia

Details

Adapted from dailybitesblog.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse well and drain again, pressing on the grains with the back of a spoon to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the drained quinoa to a mixing bowl and stir in the walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, flaxseed, and stevia. Stir the applesauce mixture into the quinoa mixture to thoroughly combine. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy. Cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.