Quinoa Cakes

Quinoa has been around since very ancient times. It was first discovered within the ancient Inca civilisation in South America. This whole grain is so nutritious that it's considered a 'super grain', having the highest protein content of any grain in the vegetable kingdom. I highly recommend this grain as a substitute for white rice, as well as a good vegetable protein source for those like me who prefer a vegetarian diet.

Remember: Protein is essential for building muscle, and muscle burns FAT and keeps you fit and trim.

Ingredients:

1 level cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp quinoa (cooked according to package directions)
1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise (added for its adhesive properties and minimal shortening purposes)
1 tbsp milled flax seed (for those GOOD omega-3's that fight the bad fats)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar-free vanilla syrup (sweetened with Truvia)
1 cup Splenda (no-calorie sugar substitute)

Combine all ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl; stir well. Divide up evenly into a 12 cup muffin pan (lightly sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until done. (Cakes will not rise very high, but should be firm, and not overly brown, as no sugar is used. The colour remains the same as the batter.) After baking, remove from muffin pan and cool before serving. Serve at breakfast, or as a snack at afternoon tea. Great with tea or coffee.

NOTE: The cakes are a bit heavy, and not light like muffins, due to the compactness of the ingredients, caused by whole grains instead of refined white flour and shortening. In addition, other than the egg used in the recipe, there is no leavening used. I think baking powder wouldn't make any difference, really, and might even add to the overall calorie content.

Nutrition analysis per cake:

Calories: about 68
Protein: 2.4 g.
Total carbs: 14.5 g. (yes, OUCH)
Fat: < 1 g.
Fibre: 2 g.
Sugars: 5 g.
Sodium: 27 mg.
Potassium: 13 mg.
Net carbs: 10 g. (14.5 carbs, minus 2 g. fibre, and minus 2.4 g. of protein = net carbs of 10.1 g., rounded to 10 g.)

Reviews

[Mrs. Laura Aranda]

sharing! thank you!