Hearty Quinoa Cookie (gluten free)

After making that very sticky, salty, sweet Compost Cookie...I had to come back to what I love.
Which always brings me around to the healthy stuff. Not just vegan, because as we see from the Compost Cookie, vegan does not always equate health.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sweet things.  I just like them organic and wholesome, and sweet.
There is an occasional time and place for cookies made with potato chips, but this vegan girl loves a healthy sweet everyday.
Here is a cookie that works like that.  Have it for breakfast or dessert.  I love anything that tastes sweet but is doing my body good.  And when I bake that for people I love, and they love it too...
Forget it...I am over the moon!
This cookie is made with actual quinoa grains just like the quinoa lover's muffin.  So the cookie is a soft, protein rich, hearty cookie, filled with double quinoa, delicious seeds and dried fruits.

Hearty Quinoa Cookie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
makes about 20 cookies


Prepare Quinoa.  I use Ancient Harvest Traditional Quinoa.
In a saucepan place:
1 cup of water
1 cup of quinoa
Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to low for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from heat and fluff with fork.  Set aside.


In a medium bowl whisk together:
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 tablespoons potato starch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup organic ground flaxmeal
3/4 teaspoon xantham gum


In another medium bowl combine with whisk:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1/4 organic sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup almond or rice milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar


Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet into it and then also add:
1 cup of the cooked quinoa  
Mix until just incorporated.
Fold in:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup of raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped raw almonds
***If the batter seems very dense or sticky, add 1 tablespoon at a time of non-dairy milk and gently mix in until batter is thick but not super dense.  (not runny though)
With a cookie scooper or tablespoon, drop cookies onto prepared baking sheet.  These cookies will not spread, so use two wet fingers to push them down to a flatter circle. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  These will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container, but I like to freeze them in an airtight container and grab one or two for breakfast or snack.  Enjoy!