Category Archives: Gluten-free

Double Chocolate Protein Waffles | No-added-sugar, Gluten-free

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Begin your day with Double Chocolate Protein Waffles, a breakfast that tastes decadent enough to be dessert yet is packed with protein, lower in carbs, and boasts no added sugar. Plus, gluten-free, vegetarian and paleo-friendly.

Power into the day fueled by chocolatey waffles made with protein powder. Only takes minutes to make, is gluten-free, has no added sugar, and moderate in carbs. A single-serve recipe, but simple to scale up for meal prep. Enjoy 28 grams of protein per serving!

A single-serve protein waffle recipe, one batch makes either four waffles in a mini waffle iron, or one large waffle in a traditional (4-square) waffle iron.

Check out the video!

A serving (4 mini waffles) of these chocolate waffles with protein powder will fill you up with the nutrients you need to take on the day — and you likely won’t be hungry again until lunch, thanks to the 28g of protein! Leftover waffles also make a great post-workout snack!

This is the mini waffle iron I used!

The primary ingredient in this chocolate protein powder waffle is, drumroll . . . protein powder! Use the product of your choice, but I am a fan of the plant-based Clean Lean Protein from Nuzest (I used the Rich Chocolate flavor for this recipe). Here’s a Nuzest protein powder coupon (also good for their other nutrition products) – FITFORK

Power into the day fueled by chocolatey waffles made with protein powder. Only takes minutes to make, is gluten-free, has no added sugar, and moderate in carbs. A single-serve recipe, but simple to scale up for meal prep. Enjoy 28 grams of protein per serving!

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Protein Waffles:

  • Green Banana Flour:  This alternative “flour” is packed with minerals, loaded with gut-helping prebiotics and can help reduce your glycemic load. It’s also naturally gluten-free. You may swap in an equal amount of another flour, if preferred.
  • Egg: The incredible, edible egg adds 6g of protein to this recipe and helps the waffles puff up
  • Almond Milk: Or, another unsweetened milk alternative
  • Sugar-free , Dairy-free Chocolate Chips: Mini-sized are preferred, they disperse better in the waffles – but you can chop down regular-sized chips or even a sugar-free bar, if needed.  

Making Double Chocolate Protein Waffles:

  • Simply whisk the egg in a small bowl and then stir in the remaining ingredients.
  • The batter should be a medium consistency, meaning “pourable” but not too runny. If your batter seems too thick, add more almond milk (a teaspoon at a time). If too thin, add a little more green banana flour, a half-teaspoon at a time.
  • Make sure to pre-heat waffle iron. My waffles did not stick to the iron at all, but it was a new mini waffle iron, with non-stick coating. If needed, oil or spray the waffle iron plates as needed.

Freezing and Meal Prepping Protein Waffles:

  • To freeze chocolate protein waffles, allow them to cool completely, in a single layer. If you used a large waffle iron, pull them apart along the perforation to make single pieces. Place waffles on pan in the freezer for about an hour to “pre freeze.” This will keep them from ultimately sticking together in the bag.
  • Transfer partially frozen chocolate waffles into a zip-top bag or storage container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • You can reheat frozen waffles in the toaster. Or, also in an oven preheated to 350F for 10 minutes, or air-fryer set at 390 F for 5 minutes or until thoroughly warmed and crispy.
  • Although this chocolate protein powder waffle recipe is written for a individual portion, you can meal prep it my simply multiplying how many servings you’d like. For example, 1 1/3 cup of protein powder, 4 eggs, 1 cup almond milk, ¼ cup green banana flour and 1 tsp baking soda would allow you to meal prep protein waffles and stock your freezer for busy mornings.

Note: this post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on sales generated through links, but price to you remains the same. Proceeds help offset operating costs at The Fit Fork – thank you for your support.

5 from 2 votes
Power into the day fueled by chocolatey waffles made with protein powder. Only takes minutes to make, is gluten-free, has no added sugar, and moderate in carbs. A single-serve recipe, but simple to scale up for meal prep. Enjoy 28 grams of protein per serving!
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Double Chocolate Protein Waffles
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Power into the day fueled by chocolatey waffles made with protein powder. Only takes minutes to make, is gluten-free, has no added sugar, and moderate in carbs. A single-serve recipe, but simple to scale up for meal prep.
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack
Keyword: chocolate, protein powder, waffles
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 330 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk* *a splash more if batter seems TOO thick
  • 1/3 cup chocolate protein powder I used Nuzest plant-based Clean Lean Protein.
  • 1 tbsp banana flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions

  1. Wisk egg, stir in almond milk. Mix in protein powder, flour and baking soda until combined. Batter will be a little thicker than traditional waffle mix. BUT, if it seems too thick, stir in more almond milk (a tablespoon) at a time, until spoonable consistency achieved.

  2. Stir in chocolate chips.

  3. Heat mini waffle iron (or large iron). If not using non stick, spray with a bit of cooking spray.

  4. Pour ¼ batter into mini iron (or all batter into large 4-section iron), close lid and cook until indicator light goes off. Repeat with remaining batter. Top as desired.

  5. Makes 4 mini waffles or 1 large waffle (4 section).

  6. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

Macros for entire recipe (without topping) 330 cal, 28g carb, 14g fat, 28g protein,

Cheddar Zucchini Chips in Air Fryer | Low Carb

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Cheddar Zucchini Chips in the air fryer are a quick, easy and flavor-packed appetizer to serve with your favorite dip or side dish that pairs with most everything.

A low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly way to snack and get more vegetables in your day! These easy air fryer zucchini chips use just a few simple ingredients and are done in minutes – perfect for game day entertaining or a delicious side dish and alternative to fries.

This zucchini snack is is also low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly – plus, it only made with a few wholesome ingredients.

zucchini sliced think for air fryer

For the best, crispy zucchini chips, make sure that the vegetable is cut thiny in about ¼” inch crosswise slices. If you notice excess moisture on the cut zucchini, pat dry with a paper towel. This is how to keep zucchini chips from getting soggy.

The “breading” isn’t the traditional flour or panko – it’s crushed all-cheese snacks (popular brands are Moon Cheese Snack, Just the Cheese and Whisps Cheese Crisps) along with almond meal and dried herbs. These simple ingredients, held on with an egg wash, ensure these remain low carb zucchini chips – with a surprise bonus of more than 10 grams of protein per serving!

This keto cheddar zucchini chip recipe makes four servings – that’s about 10 “chips” give or take. It’s a satisfying way to use up zucchini and each portion comes in at 154 caloires, 3.9g net carb, 10.5g fat, 10.7g protein.

A low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly way to snack and get more vegetables in your day! These easy air fryer zucchini chips use just a few simple ingredients and are done in minutes – perfect for game day entertaining or a delicious side dish and alternative to fries. For more low carb recipes and heal inspo to fuel an active lifestyle visit thefitfork.com
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I used my Omni Pro Air Fryer from from Instant Pot to make my favorite zucchini recipe. In just about 6 to 8 minutes, an air fryer gets everything nice and crisp. You CAN use a traditional oven at 400F degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes, carefully flipping the chips halfway through.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commisison from purchase, however the price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to help operate The Fit Fork – thank you!

5 from 2 votes
A low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly way to snack and get more vegetables in your day! These easy air fryer zucchini chips use just a few simple ingredients and are done in minutes – perfect for game day entertaining or a delicious side dish and alternative to fries.
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Cheddar Zucchini Chips in Air Fryer
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
18 mins
 
A low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly way to snack and get more vegetables in your day! These easy air fryer zucchini chips use just a few simple ingredients and are done in minutes – perfect for game day entertaining or a delicious side dish and alternative to fries.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword: cheddar, gluten free, keto, low carb, zucchini
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 154 kcal
Ingredients
  • ¾ lb. zucchini
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 3 ounces all-cheese snack Moon Cheese, Whisps, etc.. Or, may substitute a very dry cheese like Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 eggs
  • Optional: dipping sauce
Instructions
  1. Cut zucchini into ¼” slices crosswise. Pat dry if excess moisture.
  2. In baggie, crush cheese snack into a coarse powder.
  3. In a bowl, mix “cheddar crumbs” with almond flour and dried parsley.
  4. Whisk eggs in shallow bowl. Dip each slice in egg and then dredge in cheese coating.
  5. Place crumb-coated zucchini slices on basket of air fryer and cook 390F degree air fryer (pre heated) for 6 to 8 minutes.
  6. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to make in two batches.
  7. Remove from air fryer and serve with dipping sauce of choice.
  8. Store covered leftovers in fridge. To reheat, place cold zucchini chips in the air fryer basket and reheat for a couple minutes – good as new!
Recipe Notes

Cranberry Orange Pecan Sheet Pan Pancakes |Low-carb, Paleo, Gluten-free

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Making Cranberry Orange Pecan Sheet Pan Pancakes is the perfect solution to holiday morning madness! Say goodbye to being sequestered in the kitchen, standing over a hot griddle flipping hot cakes endlessly while family and guests are having all the fun.

Per serving: 336 calories, 29g fat, 10.7g total carbs (4.3g fiber, 0.3g sugar, 6.4g net carb), protein 10.6g 12.3 ounce package low carb pancake mix (I used Nush. Recipe should work with appox 3 cups of any other type pancake mix) ½ cup vanilla collagen hydrolysate (or protein powder) 2 2/3 cups water 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries ½ cup pecan pieces 1 tbsp. orange zest Optional: syrups, extra nuts, whipped cram Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix together pancake mix and collagen hydrolysate powder. Add water and stir until combined (a little lumpy better than over-stirring). Mix in cranberries. Pour into approximate 13” x 18” rimmed baking sheet Sprinkle with pecan pieces and orange zest. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set and top is turning golden. Remove and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Slice into 12 “squares,” and serve with syrup of choice and any extra toppings (or eat plain). Can be meal-prepped by freezing in single portions and thawed and reheating when ready. .

Just whip up the cranberry pecan pancake batter in minutes (or even the night before) and pour into a rimmed baking sheet and pop into the oven for 25 minutes. After that, your work is done!  Easy pancake recipes using mix are one of my favorite Christmas morning breakfast ideas

Per serving: 336 calories, 29g fat, 10.7g total carbs (4.3g fiber, 0.3g sugar, 6.4g net carb), protein 10.6g 12.3 ounce package low carb pancake mix (I used Nush. Recipe should work with appox 3 cups of any other type pancake mix) ½ cup vanilla collagen hydrolysate (or protein powder) 2 2/3 cups water 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries ½ cup pecan pieces 1 tbsp. orange zest Optional: syrups, extra nuts, whipped cram Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix together pancake mix and collagen hydrolysate powder. Add water and stir until combined (a little lumpy better than over-stirring). Mix in cranberries. Pour into approximate 13” x 18” rimmed baking sheet Sprinkle with pecan pieces and orange zest. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set and top is turning golden. Remove and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Slice into 12 “squares,” and serve with syrup of choice and any extra toppings (or eat plain). Can be meal-prepped by freezing in single portions and thawed and reheating when ready. .

I used a low carb pancake mix from Nush, it makes this type of sweet breakfast doable for keto, low-carb, sugar-free, Paleo, and gluten-free diets. However, three cups of any type pancake mix could be substituted.

These low-carb sheet pan pancakes feature cranberries to add a sweet-tart flavor and a pop of bejeweled color. A cup of raw cranberries has about 8g net carb, so spread across a keto cranberry pancake recipe with more than 12 servings, the result is almost insignificant. HOWEVER, do not substitute dried cranberries, they are more carbohydrate concentrated (100g+ per cup) and can have added sugars.

For a traditional recipe, some might add orange juice to the recipe. But, a bit of fresh orange peel removed using a citrus zester on top provides all the citrus-y goodness while keeping calories and carbs much, much lower. In a pinch, I also swear by Valencia Orange Peel from McCormick’s – it’s shelf stable, always read, and can be stored in the spice cabinet.

Per serving: 336 calories, 29g fat, 10.7g total carbs (4.3g fiber, 0.3g sugar, 6.4g net carb), protein 10.6g 12.3 ounce package low carb pancake mix (I used Nush. Recipe should work with appox 3 cups of any other type pancake mix) ½ cup vanilla collagen hydrolysate (or protein powder) 2 2/3 cups water 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries ½ cup pecan pieces 1 tbsp. orange zest Optional: syrups, extra nuts, whipped cram Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix together pancake mix and collagen hydrolysate powder. Add water and stir until combined (a little lumpy better than over-stirring). Mix in cranberries. Pour into approximate 13” x 18” rimmed baking sheet Sprinkle with pecan pieces and orange zest. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set and top is turning golden. Remove and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Slice into 12 “squares,” and serve with syrup of choice and any extra toppings (or eat plain). Can be meal-prepped by freezing in single portions and thawed and reheating when ready. .

Are these cranberry orange sheet pan pancakes healthy and nutritious? I’m glad you asked – because YES, they are. Each serving has 336 calories, 29g fat, 10.7g total carbs (4.3g fiber, 0.3g sugar, 6.4g net carb), and protein 10.6g. I like to serve with some warm sugar-free maple syrup and sometimes even a little whipped cream!

5 from 3 votes
Cranberry Orange Pecan Sheet Pan Pancakes cranberry pecan pancake Christmas morning breakfast ideas Easy pancake recipes using mix Low-carb sheet pan pancakes Stress free holiday brunch idea
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Cranberry Orange Pecan Sheet Pan Pancakes | Low Carb, Gluten-free
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Minimize holiday morning stress with this easy sheet pan pancake recipe! In celebration of the season, it’s bursting with sweet tart cranberries and orange zest. Prep to plate in under 30minutes, and is made with a low-carb pancake mix (or traditional mix, too) for added convenience.  Feed a crowd, or meal prep and store in single-portion servings in the freezer of busy day breakfast.

Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
  • 12.3 ounce package low carb pancake mix I used Nush. Recipe should work with appox 3 cups of any other type pancake mix
  • ½ cup vanilla collagen hydrolysate or protein powder
  • 2 2/3 cups water
  • 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries
  • ½ cup pecan pieces
  • 1 tbsp. orange zest
  • Optional: syrups extra nuts, whipped cram
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
  2. Mix together pancake mix and collagen hydrolysate powder.
  3. Add water and stir until combined (a little lumpy better than over-stirring).
  4. Mix in cranberries.
  5. Pour into approximate 13” x 18” rimmed baking sheet
  6. Sprinkle with pecan pieces and orange zest.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set and top is turning golden. Remove and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.
  8. Slice into 12 “squares,” and serve with syrup of choice and any extra toppings (or eat plain). Can be meal-prepped by freezing in single portions and thawed and reheating when ready.
  9. .
Recipe Notes

Per serving: 336 calories, 29g fat, 10.7g total carbs (4.3g fiber, 0.3g sugar, 6.4g net carb), protein 10.6g

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Low-carb Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies (gluten-free)

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Who wouldn’t love a low-carb, gluten-free cookie inspired by the most coveted coffee shop drink of autumn – pumpkin spice latte!?  Easy to make, using almond flour and natural sweetener alternatives to keep the carbs down, these pumpkin spice cookies turn out soft, chewy and heavenly-scented every time!

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!

Ready in under 30 minutes from mixing up to munching down! So, let’s get going!

The first step in these table sugar-free pumpkin cookies is to mix up the dough. With the butter softened, I found it easy enough to mix up by hand – but a mixer is fine too! 

First the butter and sugar substitute are creamed. I used a monk fruit-erythritol granulated baking blend that has a 1:1 sugar replacement equivalency. So, for this matter, you can swap back in any type of sugar that you care for (like coconut sugar or a stevia blend), but be aware that it will change the nutritional value. Also note, the cookies are one the lighter sweet side because the glaze is very sweet – so you might consider adding an additional ¼ cup if you are planning to make the cookies WITHOUT glaze.

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!
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Next beat in egg. Then pumpkin and vanilla. Finally mix in the dry ingredients including raw almond flour and 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.  Three cups of total flour is used in this low carb pumpkin spice cookie recipe – 2 cups of almond flour and 1 gluten-free flour mix.  The gluten-free flour mix bumps up the carb count a bit, you can also substitute back in all almond flour, but I suggest using a super fine ground almond meal for better consistency that won’t crumble apart after baking. Using all almond meal will also lower the per-cookie net carb count, making it officially a compliant with keto pumpkin cookie.

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!
Portion dough into approximate 2 Tablespoon balls.

While the gluten-free pumpkin cookies are baking in the oven (on a sheet lined with parchment or silicone baking mat) for 15 minutes, whip up the easy coffee-spiked glaze. It’s a bit of heavy cream, along with espresso powder, vanilla and POWDERED confectioner’s erythritol (or similar powdered product).  Achieving the perfect glaze consistency is the trickiest part of this recipe, so I always hold back just a TINY amount of my cream until I have the powdered sugar substitute, espresso powder and vanilla mixed it. If it’s too thick, I add it back in, plush a few more drops if needed. If it’s too thin, I mix in more confectioner’s sugar substitute until just right. The consistency should not be runny or stiff – somewhere in between!

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!

Once the cookies have cooled on the pan to “almost” room temperature (about 5 or 10 minutes), I put a dollop of the glaze/frosting on top – the small amount of warmth left on the cookie will help it spread. However, if the low carb pumpkin spice cookies are too hot still, it will run right off. After glazing the pumpkin coffee cookies, let it set up fore 5 minutes before serving or storing.

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!

Store these gluten-free pumpkin cookies layered between wax paper in an air-tight container. Should stay fresh for up to a week, or also freezes well.

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!
5 from 3 votes
Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired pumpkin spice cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free plus, soft, chew and amazing flavorful -- especially with the coffee glaze!
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Low Carb Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies (gluten-free)
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Whip up a batch of these amazing autumn-inspired cookies in under 30 minutes! Lower carb, gluten-free and amazing flavorful — especially with the coffee glaze!

Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 183 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • 1/3 cup monk fruit–erythritol granulated sweetener (or other 1:1 cup equivalency sweetener0
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup gluten-free baking blend 1:1 cup equivalency or additional almond flour
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
For glaze/frosting
  • 1/4 – 1/3 cup powdered confectioner’s monk fruit- erythritol granulated sweetener
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 2 tablespoons cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
  2. In large bowl, beat together the butter and sweetener, until creamy
  3. Beat in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla.
  4. Beat in the almond flour, gluten-free flour blend, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder until a uniform cookie dough forms.
  5. Use a cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Release onto the lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
  6. Use bottom of a glass to flatten cookies to about 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Bake approximately 15, until set and turning lightly golden brown at edges.
  8. Meanwhile, make the glaze/frosting, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients, until smooth. If too thin, add additional sweetener, if too thick, add a few drops more of cream – however, will melt some on warm cookies, so you don’t want it to be too thin at beginning.
  9. When the cookies are done, let cook for 5 or so minutes until just slightly warm. Spread a teaspoon of glaze on top of each cookie and let set to completely cool for another 10 minutes.
  10. Store in an air tight container.
Recipe Notes

How to Make the Best Popped Quinoa

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Toasting quinoa gives it a great texture, fabulous aroma, and magnifies the nutty flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to add more of this ancient grain (which is actually a seed), into your diet – the health benefits of quinoa are plentiful. It’s a good source of plant protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats, just to name a few.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.
Whether you call it Toasted, Puffed or Popped, prepping quinoa this way will make you smile.

 The process of toasting quinoa is also referred to as “popping” or “puffing.” Store-bought puffed quinoa (like quinoa cereal) is very light and crispy. This is achieved through commercial-grade equipment and not 100-percent replicable at home. But just throwing quinoa kernels into a skillet (as is the usual method mentioned on internet sources), yields a very dry, hard result – almost like chewing on sand.

The best method for popping quinoa at home, in my opinion, is to cook it first, dry it out in the oven, and then pop on the skillet for a few minutes. I think you get a bigger “finished” kernel with better textures – it’s crunchy-chewy, but doesn’t feel like a mouthful of pea gravel.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars. For more meal prep tips and quinoa recipes visit thefitfork.com

Here is the step-by-step on how to pop quinoa (you can also check out my PIN TUTORIAL).

Rinse quinoa in bowl of water and drain off in an extra fine-mesh strainer to remove the natural coating which can have a soapy, bitter taste. However, some people don’t notice an unpleasant taste, then lucky you – skip this somewhat tedious step!

Simmer 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water for 15 minutes, with lid on – or until water is absorbed.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Dry out quinoa (which will have expanded to 3 cups) by spreading out on a rimmed, standard-sized sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes 175F degrees to further dry out excess moisture. Every 10 minutes, use spatula to stir up quinoa, break apart any clumps, and keep from sticking on the pan.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Skillet pop quinoa after you remove it from oven. Work in 1-cup batches, toast in large non-stick skillet, stirring constantly (no oil needed). Quinoa will be toasted properly when you hear the tiny popping sounds and it is turning golden brown and developing a crunchy texture.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

You can use popped quinoa or toasted quinoa in a variety of ways. For example, add salt and eat like popcorn, sprinkle on salads or on yogurt, use in granola-bar type recipes. It’s one of my favorite ways to meal prep quinoa.  What you don’t use can be kept in the fridge in a zip top bag for a week.

Pumpkin Seed Popped Quinoa Balls
How to make toasted, puffed, popped quinoa
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Popped Quinoa (also called Puffed Quinoa or Toasted Quinoa)

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor — eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Course: meal prep, side, Snack
Keyword: meal prep, quinoa, whole grains
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry uncooked quinoa, any color
  • 1 1/4 cup water
Instructions
  1. Rise quinoa in bowl of water and drain off in a fine-mesh strainer to remove the natural coating which can have a soapy, bitter taste. However, some people don’t notice an unpleasant taste, then lucky you – skip this somewhat tedious step!
  2. Simmer 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water for 15 minutes, with lid on – or until water is absorbed.
  3. Spread out quinoa (which will have expanded to 3 cups) out on a rimmed, standard-sized sheet pan.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes 175F degrees to further dry out excess moisture. Every 10 minutes, use spatula to stir up quinoa, break apart any clumps, and keep from sticking on the pan.
  5. Remove quinoa from oven and, working in 1-cup batches, toast in large non-stick skillet, stirring constantly (no oil needed).
  6. Quinoa will be toasted properly when you hear the tiny popping sounds and it is turning golden brown and developing a crunchy texture.
  7. You can use popped quinoa or toasted quinoa in a variety of ways. For example, add salt and eat like popcorn, sprinkle on salads or on yogurt, use in granola-bar type recipes. What you don’t use can be kept in the fridge in a zip top bag for a week.