Almond Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

I'm on a clean-out-the-pantry kick. And by "pantry" I mean that one cupboard with a few shelves that we cram full of everything from dry goods to kitchen equipment to vitamins. We do live in a townhouse after all. These clear-the-shelves kicks really should happen more than they do based on the number of times I get nailed with something sliding of my - ahem- perfectly organized piles of food in there. I've learned to open the cupboard cautiously. Death from above!

Anyway, back on topic. QUINOA! 

This was the ingredient of the week to get kicked out of my cupboard. I cooked up a large batch earlier in the week to serve with a Black bean, Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad, reserving a cup of it for this breakfast cookie recipe. Ever since Isla started preschool, I'm always in the market for more quick breakfast items I can just pull out of the freezer. I have the best of intentions of waking up earlier someday to nourish her with hot breakfasts but let's be honest, that just isn't happening right now. So enter breakfast cookies. These puppies are so versatile and can be packed with protein and fiber and yummy goodies. I'm collecting a few favorites over here and this here is one of them. The original recipe came from Bon Appetit Magazine, but then I made the absolutely substitution of some of the dried cranberries for chocolate chips. And then I added another secret ingredient, sort of by accident. Ok totally by accident. 

Let's just say when I made the big batch of cooked quinoa from my black bean salad recipe, I was super careful to reserve some for these cookies before adding the olive oil and salt and pepper to the rest. What I didn't remember until this morning when I was mixing up the cookie dough was what I used to cook the quinoa.... Yep, my quinoa was cooked in none other than chicken broth. CHICKEN BROTH! Lol. Some of us aren't getting enough sleep over here! I thought twice about using it (for like 3 seconds) before I decided Oh heck, let's just throw it in there and see how they taste! And to be honest, they actually turned out. They maybe a smidge saltier than the first time I made them but they are still mighty tasty for a reasonably healthful breakfast treat. I think the almond extract saved my bacon. So chicken broth or not, enjoy!

Almond Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375°. 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, chocolate chip, and almonds. Spoon dough in 2-tablespoon portions onto baking sheets greased with cooking spray, spacing 1” apart. Bake cookies until golden, 12–15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. DO AHEAD: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes ~24 cookies