Name: Herbed black quinoa muffins with sweet potato and caramelised onions
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: Black quinoa; 1/4 cup (40g) black quinoa, washed; 1 cup (240ml) filtered water; 1/4 cup (60ml) filtered water, extra; pinch sea salt; Muffins; 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds; 1/4 cup (60ml) plain soya milk or plain nut milk; 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp extra; 1 onion, diced; 2 tablespoon chopped sage leaves; 2 teaspoon chopped thyme, plus thyme sprigs to garnish; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 1/2 cup (150g) sprouted spelt flour or sprouted wholewheat flour; 1 tablespoon aluminium-free baking powder; 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); 1 cup (200g) mashed sweet potato; 3/4 cup (180ml) filtered water; 2 teaspoon unpasteurized apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon tamari

Herbed black quinoa muffins with sweet potato and caramelised onions

These healthy and delicious savoury muffins are from Amy Chaplin's book, 'At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen'. The mashed sweet potato in the muffin mix adds a pleasantly moist and sweet background to the onions, herbs and delicate crunch of black quinoa.

Makes 10

Prep

45M

Cook

1H 20M

Marinate

12H

Total

2H 5M

Ingredients

Black quinoa

1/4 cup (40g) black quinoa, washed

1 cup (240ml) filtered water

1/4 cup (60ml) filtered water, extra

pinch sea salt

Muffins

2 tablespoon ground flax seeds

1/4 cup (60ml) plain soya milk or plain nut milk

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp extra

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoon chopped sage leaves

2 teaspoon chopped thyme, plus thyme sprigs to garnish

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cup (150g) sprouted spelt flour or sprouted wholewheat flour

1 tablespoon aluminium-free baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 cup (200g) mashed sweet potato

3/4 cup (180ml) filtered water

2 teaspoon unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon tamari

Method

Herbed black quinoa muffins

1.Soak quinoa in 1 cup of filtered water for 12-24 hours.

2.Drain and rinse quinoa. Place in a small pan, add extra water and salt; bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.

3.Remove from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes; fluff with a fork. Measure out 1/2 cup and set aside. Save remaining couple of tablespoons of quinoa to sprinkle over muffins.

4.Preheat oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Line a muffin tin with 10 muffin cases.

5.Place flax seeds and soya milk in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside to thicken while you cook the onion.

6.Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add sage, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

7.Sift flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into another medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

8.Add sweet potato, water, vinegar, tamari and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the flax-soya milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Add remaining 1/4 olive oil; whisk again and add flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir mixture gently until almost combined, then fold in cooked quinoa and onions.

9.Divide mix between muffin cases, filling them all the way to the top. Garnish each muffin with a thyme sprig and a sprinkle of remaining cooked quinoa.

10.Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven; leave muffins in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

If you forget to soak the quinoa, increase the water by 2 tablespoons and cook for 20 minutes. You will need one large (400g) sweet potato for this recipe. Once cool, any leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Recipes and images from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen (Murdoch Books) $39.99 available now.
Note

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