Hazelnut and Pistachio Clusters - Wellness with Taryn

Oooohhhh this one’s a goodie! This Hazelnut and Pistachio Crispy Quinoa Clusters recipe is so tasty, and really hard to stop at one. Let’s admit it, we’re all fans of tasty treats! Whether it be sweet or savory. The hard part is to know when to stop, and that includes the healthy treats you’ll find here.

I recently came across two ingredients, that I knew would create something spectacular. Crispy quinoa puffs and a jar of (freaking delicious) hazelnut butter! Hazelnut butter and me have a special connection, we understand each other, really really well 🙂

So got the clogs working upstairs and came up with this delicious recipe. I used a muffin tray as a mold, and just cut up squares of baking paper as cluster cups, that’s if you don’t have any muffin cups lying around. Improvise! 😉

I absolutely love quinoa! It seriously is such a versatile wheat-free grain-like seed. Quinoa, pronounced ‘keen-wa’, has twice the protein content of rice or barley, is a very good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese as well as having good levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E and dietary fibre. The puffed quinoa is super crunchy, and has a really tasty yet delicate and subtly nutty flavor. I love the flavor of it combined with the rest of the flavors in the recipe, especially the hazelnut.

Quinoa is an awesome wheat-free choice, and like buckwheat, it has an excellent amino acid profile, as it contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete-protein source. Quinoa is therefore an excellent choice for vegans who may struggle to get enough protein in their diets. It is high in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and because of it’s fiber content is a great Low-GI option.

Hazelnuts are very high in energy and are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Hazelnuts are exceptionally rich in the important B-complex vitamin folate, which is good for expecting mothers. They are loaded in minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, and are an excellent source of vitamin E.

Pistachio nuts are a rich source of many anti-oxidant phyto-chemical substances such as carotenes, vitamin E, and polyphenolic antioxidant compounds. They are packed with many important B vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates. They are also super high in copper, which is an essential trace mineral that is required in neuro-transmission, metabolism, as well as red blood cell production.

So so so so much goodness in these little clusters! They really do pack a punch! A perfect healthy alternative that is refined sugar, wheat and dairy free.

Hazelnut & Pistachio Crispy Quinoa Clusters

2015-06-15 23:43:14

Yields 12

Delicious crispy clusters that are nutrient dense, providing not only tasty satisfaction but amazing health benefits.

Write a review

Save Recipe

Total Time

30 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

2 Cups Crispy Puffed Quinoa
3 TBS Raw Cacao
4 TBS Coconut Oil
3 TBS Hazelnut Butter
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Pistachios
3 TBS Agave Nectar (Sweetener of your choice eg: Honey/Maple Syrup)
Pinch of Salt

Instructions

Place the quinoa puffs into a mixing bowl.
Bring a small pot of water to the boil, turn down the heat, and using a bain marie style, add the coconut oil and raw cacao to a bowl, and place over the boiling water. Slowly mix as the coconut oil melts and a chocolate sauce is formed.
Remove from the heat and mix in the hazelnut butter, vanilla extract and agave nectar.
Once thoroughly mixed, spoon into the mixing bowl with the quinoa puffs and mix everything together, ensuring all the puffs are coated with the chocolate/hazelnut sauce.
Add the pistachio nuts, and spoon into a lined 12 mold muffin tray.
Place into the freezer and allow to set over night, or at least 6 hours.

By Wellness with Taryn

Wellness with Taryn https://wellnesswithtaryn.com/