Chocolate and Cinnamon Raisin Quinoa Crust

If you follow my blog religiously you have probably made my quinoa pizza crust. Its safe to say its one of the simplest easiest recipes to make. Only requires few ingredients and doesn’t taste like  one of those want to be healthy but really taste like cardboard type of foods. I love making the quinoa crust with roasted vegetables maybe even adding some tempeh on top. Its fun to get creative with it and experiment. It is like a blank canvas. Then I started thinking what if I went sweet with it! I thought of a million things but I loved the idea of replacing morning toast with this or having it as a snack with nut butter and fresh fruit. I would just need to play around with the base.So I went with two different ideas one chocolate quinoa crust and one cinnamon raisin flavor. Catering to all! I made the chocolate one with red quinoa and it actually did not change the taste at all! For the chocolate flavor I wanted to use dates to sweeten it since it compliments chocolate really well. And for the cinnamon raisin– shocker– I used raisins to sweeten it.I love this little flat bread it totally reminds me of Toaster Cakes. You can make a double batch cook them and store it in the freezer like you would your normal piece of bread. Except you made this from scratch and know every ingredient in it. Plus you can taylor it more to your liking. Thats why its always a bonus to make this fresh and in your own kitchen. I added Essentially Coconut Butter to the batter to give it that extra richness and flavor. I love adding coconut butter because it really acts like butter in a recipe. Its thick and creamy and nothing like coconut oil. It has that deep coconut flavor that I love. I even drizzled Essentially Cashew Coconut Butter on top. By pairing healthy fats with healthy complex carbohydrates you get more bang for your buck. It slows down the absorption of the carbohydrate keeping you fuller for longer and not spiking your blood sugar.

Just remember to soak your quinoa, I like to do this the night before or in the morning before I head out for the day. It needs at least 5 hours of soaking.Preheat oven 425

Chocolate Quinoa Crust:

• 1 cup quinoa 
• ***water to cover quinoa
• 1/3 cup water
• 6 pitted dates
• 2 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons essentially coconut butter (you can also use any nut butter, I prefer essentially coconut butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. In a large bowl take your dry quinoa and place water on top to cover. Be sure you leave enough water on top of it because it will absorb and expand. Soak for at least 5 hours or overnight.
2. Once soaked for at least 5 hours or overnight. Rinse your quinoa very well (if you don’t rinse it very well it will have a bitter taste).
3. Place your rinsed quinoa, 1/3 cup water, 6 pitted dates, 2 teaspoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons coconut butter, vanilla extract and baking powder. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and resembles a pancake batter.
4. On a tray lined with parchment spray with non-stick spray. Make 4 even pancake type circles.
5. Place in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes then flip and cook another 1o minutes.

Preheat oven 425

Cinnamon Raisin Quinoa Crust:

• 1 cup quinoa
• ***water to cover quinoa
• 1/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup raisins– divided
• 2 Essentially Coconut Butter teaspoons coconut butter (any nut butter can work here, I prefer Essentially Coconut Butter)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. In a large bowl take your dry quinoa and place water on top to cover. Be sure you leave enough water on top of it because it will absorb and expand. Soak for at least 5 hours or overnight.
2. Once soaked for at least 5 hours or overnight. Rinse your quinoa very well (if you don’t rinse it very well it will have a bitter taste).
3. Place your rinsed quinoa, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 raisins, 2 teaspoons coconut butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and baking powder. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and resembles a pancake batter.
4. Fold in your remaining 1/3 cup of raisins.
5. On a tray lined with parchment spray with non-stick spray. Make 4 even pancake type circles.
6. Place in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes then flip and cook another 1o minutes.