Iโm already over Andyโs goals for me and onto better things โ namely, Bon Appetitโs list of ย 25 Things to Eat, Drink, and Cook in 2012. In particular, please check out #24, a quinoa breakfast cookie I developed for them a few months back. I wouldnโt exactly call one of these lo-cal, but I can at least call it the healthiest possible cookie you can get away with still calling a cookie. Iโm certain that if I added one more flax seed, the kids would sniff out something suspicious. (And btw: No need to tell anyone about the quinoa โ you canโt see it once the cookies are baked.)
P.S. A cool little fact that Iโm proud of: This is the 400th post on Dinner: A Love Story. Four hundred! Crazy right? OK, thatโs it. I said it. In lieu of flowers and congratulations, you can just tell me what your favorite DALS recipe is โ or even better, you can justย follow me on Twitter! (Four hundred posts ago, I wouldnโt have ever believed those words would shoot so effortlessly out of my fingertips.)
Thanks to everyone out there for keeping this blog alive. I really mean that โ we are so lucky to have such nice, thoughtful, well-read readers.
And now back to the cookiesโฆ
Almond-Cherry-Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
White whole wheat flour and quinoa can be found at Trader Joeโs, better supermarkets, and at natural foods stores.
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1ย teaspoonย kosher salt
- 1/2ย teaspoonย baking powder
- 1/2ย teaspoonย baking soda
- 1/2ย cupย (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4ย cupย sugar
- 1/4ย cupย (packed) light brown sugar
- 1/4ย cupย honey
- 2ย large eggs
- 1ย teaspoonย vanilla extract
- 1/2ย teaspoonย almond extract
- 1ย cupย cooked quinoa, cooled
- 1ย cupย old-fashioned oats
- 1ย cupย dried cherries or cranberries
- 1/2ย cupย slivered unsalted almonds
Preheat oven to 375ยฐ. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars, and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and extracts; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in quinoa, oats, cranberries, and almonds. Spoon dough in 2-tablespoon portions onto prepared sheets, spacing 1โ apart. Bake cookies until golden, 12โ15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.ย DO AHEAD: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.
400! Congratulations: that is a major number. Love many of your recipes, but a favorite is the yogurt marinated chicken. It enabled me to make grilled chicken taste good. (It had never happened before). Close second is the Jim Lahey pizza crust, which is easier and better than any Iโve ever tried.
Thanks for consistently inspiring me!
The yogurt marinated chicken is a weekly staple. Live in Manhattan and cook it on our cast iron grill pan. Always delish.
Iโm so glad I discovered your blog. It is the only one I consistently make recipes from. My favorites so far are the shrimp/avocado salad on a tostada & the pretzel crusted chicken. I keep meaning to dig through the archives and find more favoritesโฆone of these days I will. Oh, and I want to try out the cocktails as well.
Congrats on 400! While I do love everthing the Jim Lehey pizza is still tops in my book (though the pretzel chicken is a close 2nd). Canโt wait for your cookbook.
I donโt think I can pick one recipe or one post because far too many times I have typed โthis is the best post yetโ in the comment field . So I am obviously terrible at choosing favorites, but I am thankful for them all. Congratulations on 400, thatโs amazing.
Congrats on the 400th post!!! Some favorite posts would be the morroccan shrimp, Jim Lahey pizza crust, and the dark and stormy.
Oh, and the lunch making contract? Hilarious!!! My husband and I will soon be thereโฆ
So many good recipes, and all the comments are reminding me of things I want to make again! Iโll cast a vote for the Thanksgiving fancified chocolate pudding pie.Iโve made it as written, and also made as a slab pie and as tiny little tarts. I also subbed half ginger snaps in the crust and it was unbelievable.
Iโm going to try these cookies- Iโm sure my girls will love them. As for my favorite recipe, I think I have too many to name. And right now I think I love this blog most of all for that twitter link to the Mavis Staples rehearsal. Might never stop watching it.
Erin, I watched it twenty times today. That moment when Mavis pats Nick Lowe on the shoulder, to encourage him? Jeeeezus. Too good.
These look fabulous!!! My toddlers have been asking for cookies at breakfast all through the holidays. This might fit that bill. Plus I love anything with quinoa in it!!!
I canโt think of a favorite recipe from here because nearly all have been wonderful. I do love my bumper sticker, though โ I get tons of compliments for it nearly every day here in Los Angeles.
such a beautiful and necessary blog. Youโre on our site for the moms to refer to. Thanks for the Bon Appetit tip on things to try.
I did not realize the quinoa cookies came from you. I love them!! I have made them twice since I got that Bon Appetit. My 5 year old loves them. I just posted the recipe on facebook last night and everyone who commented said they were going to try them.
Congratulations on 400! My fave? Impossible to narrow to just one so Iโll shamelessly submit 2: Vanessa Chicken and Salmon in Coconut Milk.
Looking forward to studiously reading the next 400 submissions! Thanks for all your time, energy and endless creativity!
Has anyone tried making a gluten free version of this cookie? I am wondering if I can substitute egg replacer or flax egg for the eggs and gluten free flour for the flour? May be worth a try for a family with food allergies.
Just came across your site and plan to try some recipes.
Thanks, Stacey
Wow โ 400! You go girl! This has been so fun to watch you (and Andy โ big shout out!) take this baby to the next level. You both are fabulous writers and bring such joy to life on these pages. I find it hard to choose a fav โ but I might think about that lunchbox post ๐
Loving you guys! Keep it up! Expecting an invite to the 1000th post-party where Jakeโs will be served!
Hi Jenny (and Andy)!
The first batch of these just came out of the oven and the preliminary verdict is: delish! Ironically, I was low on dried cranberries and made up with different with semi-sweet chocolate chips, which was the only part my sometimes-reluctant-about-โhealthierโ-foods husband didnโt like.
For those looking for feedback on this recipe, I got 18 cookies out of the dough.
Thanks for helping me start off a healthier 2012!
Wow, the big 400. Way to go Jenny & Andy! Iโll second Erinโs vote for fancified chocolate pie, but I have loved every recipe we try. Dark and stormy too, hiccup! Itโs a Beantown fave.
Our household is in looooove with breakfast cookies. I make 2 batches (one to freeze) every time now so weโll have enough to go around. Iโve shared my recipe here: http://www.lonehomeranger.com/2011/12/breakfast-cookies.html
Almond extract. Genius! Canโt wait to try yours. Nancy, Iโm glad to know Mark Bittman sanctions cookies as acceptable breakfast fare. Heโs my go-to โscolding dadโ when it comes to proper family diet. ๐
We made the โCookies for Breakfastโ recipe as soon as we received our Bon Appetit issue. Fortunately, I couldnโt find that issue anywhere, which led me to โgoogleโ the recipe, which led me to your blog and news of your new book!! Eureka! My daughter, who is a freshman in college, made the cookies and took them to school. They are PERFECT when sheโs trekking on her bike to Calculus at 8am. I belong to a moms group and we get together once a month to make care packages for our kids. They have all asked for your recipe!!
Congrats! I found you in real simple this month. Fell in love with the blog from the food and books idea โ my kind of people!!
I want to love quinoa. I really do. I made a huge batch, did not enjoy it at all, but wound up freezing it instead of tossing it. Praise God for this recipe. Even I can eat quinoa if itโs wrapped in a cookie. (And so can my kids!)
Thanks for all the great recipes and inspiration!
Sorry, but what is white whole wheat flour? Can I just use regular whole wheat flour?
I am now required by family law to serve the Grandmaโs meatballs and sauce at least once a week, and get baguettes for sandwiches with the leftovers. I make them monthly, in a huge double or triple batch, as they freeze so well. My 4 year old requests yours โpork o pineโ balls quite often as well, (we use beef), and the chicken schnitzels are always a hit (without salad on top for the kid). Our only problem is finding peanut-safe breadcrumbs, or other crumbs โ seems an impossible task, so I either make my own from leftover bread (always whole wheat, though) or smash up crackers for the job. Ditto for safe seeds (sunflower, flax, etc.) โ so we adapt as needed. Your Venn diagram for successful dinners strategy has saved my sanity, so thank you for that as well. You have also convinced me that we need to buy a proper dutch oven (now to convince my husband that a $200 pot is a worthwhile investment!).
Just made these with cranberries and I cannot stop eating them. Cannot. Stop.
Congratulations! So many of your recipes have become favorites. You are up there with a handful of trusted cooks whose recipes never fail to be delicious! I love giving your books as gifts to newlyweds and new parents.
Keep up the terrific work.