Blueberry-Apricot Quinoa Muffins

Sense of Home Kitchen

Quinoa is not the first ingredient you think of when you think of muffins and yet they work very well together, adding a chewy, almost nut like texture to the muffins.  I like the organic heirloom red quinoa, but another quinoa could be substituted.  The heirloom is packed with nutrients and there is an interesting article here on the history and present practices used in growing, harvesting, and processing the heirloom quinoa.  If quinoa is a seed grain, you haven't cooked with before, give it a try; I also like it in this grilled vegetable salad.

I don't like to keep canned goods for more than two years, it is best to rotate your pantry and use the older items, they start to lose quality after a couple of years.  I specifically chose apricots for this recipe simply because I had one more jar of apricots left from 2010, another fruit would work well, such as canned peaches, or ripe bananas. Cooking with what you have stored in the pantry will often result in a new recipe being developed.  I had a small amount of quinoa I wanted to use up, these apricots, and those lovely fresh blueberries, that was where this recipe began.

Still using up those muffin tin papers I own, I must have bought several packages when they were on sale some time. I don't plan to buy them in the future, greasing and flouring the tin works just as well, and no paper is used in the process.

Blueberry-Apricot Quinoa Muffins
~Sense of Home Kitchen, inspired by, but adapted considerably from Chef In You~

Makes about 15 muffins

1/4 cup heirloom red quinoa, (or whatever quinoa you have available)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned apricots, preferably home canned (another soft or cooked fruit could be used if you don't have apricots available)
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375° and line or butter and flour muffin tins.

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.  Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 15 minutes.  When done the grain will be soft and the red will become translucent and the germ ring will be visible along the outside edge of the grain, as seen in one of the photos above.  Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Add the cooked and cooled quinoa to the flour mixture and mix throughly.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream the sugar and coconut oil.  Thoroughly mix in the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and apricots.  Gradually add the flour and quinoa mixture stirring until just combined.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins and place in preheated oven.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool on a rack and enjoy.


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