These little muffin bites pack a good portion of protein, fiber and flavor for breakfast on the go or a much needed snack throughout the day!

The texture isn’t something like your normal muffin. They aren’t fluffy and cakey, but rather dense and…moist…Ok I hate using the word moist, but then again who doesn’t? It’s just one of those words that sounds terrible but is a definite necessity to the English dictionary when it comes to good food.

Annnyyyways…let’s get back on the subject of these tasty morsels.

One might worry, that without oil or butter the muffiney goodness wouldn’t be the same. But they are. Oh how they most definitely are.  In fact, your belly will be happy and those pants might just fit a little bit better.

Now is probably a good time to bring up the fact that 2 whole cups of cooked quinoa are in these little guys. It’s true. And it’s barely noticeable.

The quinoa is the culprit for providing the dense texture and moist middle. I was a little hesitant at first, not knowing what outcome the quinoa would have on an innocent little muffin. Well, several taste-testers and I all thought that they made the perfect couple. I hope I get invited to their wedding. With a “plus one”. Not because I have a boyfriend, because I don’t, but because those “plus ones” are so hard to come by these days. It must be a recession or something.

In short:

1. I don’t like the word “moist”.
2. Say no to “muffin top”, say yes to these mini muffins.
3. We are quinoa freaks over here at the LYK. There, now it’s out in the open.
4. Lastly, I just finished the last book of the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay. My world is rocked and I need to move on to something else before I can let that random ending settle in for good.

…Any ideas?

Apricot Orange Quinoa Muffins

Makes about 36-48 mini muffins, depending on mini muffin pan size
Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa, cooked in water and cooled
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 cup banana, mashed (about 1)
1/3 cup low-fat milk, or an alternative milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
Turbinado Sugar (sugar in the raw)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and wheat germ.

In the stand mixer bowl, combine the mashed banana with the brown sugar; mix in the milk, egg, vanilla and orange zest. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet until just combined. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa and the chopped apricots and continue mixing until equally distributed.

Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray (we use canola oil). And spoon enough batter into each hole so that they are almost full. These don’t expand very much. Sprinkle each one with a pinch of turbinado sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, checking them with a toothpick to be sure that they are cooked through the middle.

Let them cool slightly, before removing them from the pan. They should pop right out, but if they feel a little stuck, use a smaller knife to help coax them out.

*Little Yellow Note: You can use a regular muffin tin, and increase the baking time by about 10 minutes, still checking doneness with a toothpick. This option will make about 12-16 regular-sized muffins.

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,
Chrissy