These Quinoa Nut Clusters are a delightful and nutritious snack, combining the crunch of quinoa with the richness of almonds and walnuts. Sweetened with honey and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, these clusters make a perfect on-the-go snack or a topping for salads or smoothies.
Quinoa Nut Clusters
Rated 3.9 stars by 28 users
Category
snacks
activity fuel
Servings
20-25 clusters
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20-25 minutes
Level
level 1
These Quinoa Nut Clusters are a delightful and nutritious snack, combining the crunch of quinoa with the richness of almonds and walnuts. Sweetened with honey and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, these clusters make a perfect on-the-go snack or a topping for salads or smoothies.
Ingredients
-
1 cup cooked quinoa (approximately ½ cup dry quinoa, cooked, cooled, and drained)
- 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup honey (raw & unfiltered)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
Directions
- Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cooked quinoa in a thin layer and stir frequently for 5–7 minutes, until dry, lightly golden, and starting to pop.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
In the same skillet, toast the chopped almonds and walnuts for 3–4 minutes, stirring often until fragrant. (Optional, but recommended!)
- Add the toasted nuts to the bowl with the quinoa, along with the chia and hemp seeds.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the wet mixture over the quinoa and nuts and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Return the mixture to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until sticky and slightly caramelized.
- Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet.
- Let it cool completely for about 10 minutes; it will firm up and form crunchy clusters.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Recipe Note
For more of a "popped" flavor/texture:
Use 1 cup of raw quinoa. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed and drained quinoa. Stir continuously for 5–7 minutes until the quinoa begins to pop and smells toasty. Alternatively, you may bake the quinoa on a parchment-lined sheet for 10 minutes. Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing it with the other ingredients.
14 comments
After reading the comments I cooked the quinoa first and still turned out great!
After reading the comments I cooked the quinoa first and still turned out great!
These taste great but I would not recommend. The raw quinoa was extremely upsetting to both my and my roommates digestive track. (I have a sensitive stomach but no diagnosed IBS or IBD and she has none of those.)
Is the quinoa cooked first or just rinsed?
These are delicious! I enjoyed a small bowl of them with some almond milk. Will also make a great snack!