Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is a type of edible seed that is prepared and eaten like a whole grain. Since it is not technically a grain, it is naturally gluten-free.

Can I eat quinoa on a low carb diet?

Yes. A single 1/4 cup serving of uncooked quinoa seeds contains 32 grams of total carbs, 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Quinoa is a high carb, yet highly nutritious food. It does not belong in a keto diet. However, it is a better carb choice for low-carb diets where the average carb budget for a meal is 30-45 grams total carbs.

How do I cook quinoa?

This recipe calls for cooked quinoa. Simply place quinoa and water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you need additional help with cooking quinoa, check out Lorena Grater's recipe tutorial over at u003ca href=u0022https://greenhealthycooking.com/how-to-cook-quinoa/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eGreen Healthy Cookingu003c/au003e. She has an excellent tutorial on how to cook quinoa that includes an instructional video. She offers tips on how to cook quinoa on both a stovetop and with an Instant Pot. Since you will be using cooked quinoa to make sweet muffins use plain water, not broth, for your cooking liquid. You can also try following the package directions. Results may vary.

Can I make these vegan?

Yes. To make these into vegan muffins you only need to substitute two ingredients: Butter and eggs. Swap butter with a tasty nut oil, like coconut or walnut oil. Then substitute eggs with flax eggs. Just mix 2 tablespoons of ground flax or ground chia seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes before adding it to the muffin batter. Alternatively, if you have soft tofu handy you can use tofu instead of eggs. Use a 1/2 cup of soft tofu to swap out two eggs. The final protein count, per serving, will vary depending on what you use to substitute the eggs in the recipe. If you need more tips on vegan cooking, check out Brita Britnell's food blog u003ca href=u0022https://foodwithfeeling.com/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eFood with Feelingu003c/au003e.

Apple quinoa muffins with pecans(low-carb) • We Count Carbs

Name: Apple muffins with pecans and quinoa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup quinoa, uncooked; 3/4 cups water; 3 tablespoon salted butter; 2 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 cup pecans, crushed; 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 2 large eggs, beaten

Description

These breakfast muffins satisfy a sweet tooth. They can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a quick and easy breakfast to go. Although apples and quinoa are high in carbs, they are nutritionally dense superfoods that deserve a place in a healthy diet. Just watch your portions. 1 muffin has only 7 grams of total carbs and 5 grams of net carbs! Depending on your carb budget, you can eat up to 4 muffins for breakfast or enjoy 1 or 2 as a snack.

Ingredients

Scale

1/4 cup quinoa, uncooked

3/4 cups water

3 tablespoon salted butter

2 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup pecans, crushed

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 large eggs, beaten

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Instructions

First cook the quinoa. Combine water and quinoa in a medium-sized pot. Stir. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir to fluff. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until thoroughly melted and combined with quinoa. Set aside. This will yield a little less than 1 cup of cooked quinoa.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl combine apples and lemon juice.

Fold in pecans, cinnamon, vanilla, apples quinoa and baking powder. Mix to combine. Finally, fold in eggs.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking cup liners. Alternatively, skip the liners and grease the cups well with your favorite oil or butter. Scoop a 1/3 cup of muffin batter into each cup.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F. Let cool before eating.

Notes

Tip: Save time by peeling and chopping the apples while the quinoa is cooking.

Tip: Mix apples with lemon juice as you prep the apples to keep them fresh. Lemon juice prevents the cut apples from browning, brightens the flavor and reacts with baking powder during baking to produce a fluffy muffin.

Tip: an average-sized ice cream scoop works perfectly for scooping the batter into muffin tin.

Storage: These muffins will keep for two days in an airtight container stored at room temperature. They can be kept up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When ready to eat, simply wrap in a damp paper towel and re-warm in the microwave. Muffins can also be frozen for up to one month.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American