QUINOA POPPED RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-medium/high heat. Let it heat up for several minutes before adding any quinoa
• Add the quinoa 1/4 cup at a time (so you will have four batches to pop). Let it sit in the bottom of the pot, swirling occasionally, until you start to hear light popping, and then swirl it constantly for about a minute until the popping has subsided slightly. Make sure you take it off before it gets brown (this can happen super fast). You don’t want it anything past a toasty golden color
• Once all your quinoa is popped, set aside in a small bowl
• Melt your chopped chocolate in a double boiler
• Add your melted chocolate, quinoa, PB2, and vanilla to a bowl – mix to fully combine
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your chocolate quinoa mixture across the top – you DON’T have to spread the mixture across the entire baking sheet or it will be too thin. Just form a square-ish shape in the middle. Thickness is up to you – but I made mine about 1/2 inch thick
• In a small bowl, stir together your peanut butter drizzle. Drizzle this all over the top of your chocolate and quinoa, and then – using a knife – swirl it around gently
• Pop in your refrigerator for at least an hour (or until totally firm) before slicing. I keep mine in the fridge once they are sliced, but the counter works, too!

Steps:

• Place quinoa in a wide skillet and heat over medium heat. Stir or shake the pan and toast until the quinoa begins to pop and smell like popcorn, 5 to 7 minutes. As soon as the quinoa is popping, pour into a very large bowl and allow to cool.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment. Add all of the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl with the quinoa and toss together.
• In a saucepan, combine the oils, agave syrup and vanilla. Warm over low heat, stirring, just until the mixture is fluid. You can also heat in a microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 60 seconds. Do not let it come to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir to blend, and stir into the dry ingredients. Mix until evenly coated.
• Divide the granola mixture between the two sheet pans and spread evenly to cover the parchment in a thin layer. Bake, without stirring, for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden, rotating the baking pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before storing. Break it up into clumps if you'd like. Store in well-sealed jars, bags or containers.