Toasted quinoa and dates energy balls

Brains use about half of the body’s energy requirement. It is no new fact that a growing body needs nourishing food. Teen us there fire a phase were the brain connections are made differently and this is a complex process which requires a bit more than empty calories. Now, if your teen is heading to exams, be that calm person in their life. I know, you are going to say “Yeah ye ash nice try there Seema, try mine”
It is no doubt a hard one and mine are no better. But, I am trying to consciously realize my levels of fatigue and change my tone as I so am to mine. It doesn’t work always.  That’s when (purely by experience) we all need to grab a snack.

Pause, think and proceed

Simply anything from a soda to a celery stick will actually work. But here are some things you want to keep in mind. The snack that you pick at times of tiredness and your teen when not the happiest (well, pretty much always) is going to be high sugar with empty calories. This us how our brain is… survival mode.

What ideas work as brain revitalizing snacks?

Don’t crack your brain here.  As mums, we tend to overthink, as my kids call it its mum-complication. Over a period of time, I do have learnt my lesson. Keep it simple. Check out this list that I seem to keep in stock forever.

Start with an apple with some nonsugary peanut butter. Try this Sun butter for a change.
Cheese and cracker work well. Ditch that processed cheese. How about the hard cheese instead of the processed ones. Here is one that
Popcorn – Pinacolada ones please.
Jowar Chivda with a gentle spicy kick.
Date aval ladoo
Today’s recipe is a keeper for these times. One that unfreezes perfectly and works for breakfast, snack, lunchbox or that late-night study, you name it.

Toasted quinoa

Most recipes you will come across on the internet are the ones with cooked quinoa. It is not so often that you will see roasted quinoa recipes as this is a slightly watchful process.

Here are a few of our quinoa-based recipes

Chipotle rice and beans with quinoa and corn

Quinoa and oats idly

Quinoa pegan salad bowl

South Indian zesty lemon rice or quinoa

When you roast quinoa and try it it will be slightly bitter. This is an evolutionary precaution to prevent the grain from being eaten by animals and birds. This chemical coating, saponin, thereby ensured that the quinoa seeds could propagate and not be digested. This bitter flavour is distinct when uncooked or improperly toasted.  Saponins being water-soluble and foaming gets dissolved and removed when we wash and cook the quinoa, thus leaving it favourable to taste but upon dry roasting, it remains to give the taste.  (source.)

To achieve the perfectly toasted quinoa with little or no bitterness, wash the quinoa well for a couple of times under running water. Rub them gently with your hand as you do this to rub off the layer of saponins. Drain well and spread on a kitchen towel so that the water can be slightly more absorbed. Add this to the pan and slow roast on medium heat till a few of the quinoa start popping. you can use this as such to top the bowl of salad or powder it to use in energy balls. 

This recipe contribution

From the alphabet A to now at Q we food bloggers have been contributing recipes to A-Z recipe challenge. It is amazing to see the variety that we have created through this Challenge. This group has actually inspired me to create new and unique recipes to add to this monthly challenge. I hope you look forward to this as much as I enjoy creating new ideas for each month. Check out the details by entering the A-Z recipe challenge in the search bar of this blog. Hope you will try out this snack and save up a bit of your sanity as well. I sure am losing and holding on to mine as the second one is teening too!!

Stay safe, take care and see you soon

Toasted quinoa and dates energy balls

Nut-free, , grain-free, butter-free, oil-free, no added sugar snack perfect for post-workout, exam time and all teen tantrums.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Course Desserts, Snacks, Sweets and savories

Cuisine Autumn, Fusion, gluten free, Indian, International, Kids choice, One pot, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

Servings 20 small pieces

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups quinoa
• 1.5 cup Dates use soft mejool dates.
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder

Instructions

 

• Wash and toast the quinoa till they start gently popping.
• Cool the quinoa and powder it in a spice grinder (or the Indian mixie).
• Add the cinnamon powder and mix well.
• Pit the dates and add small portions of these dates and churn further.
• As you add more of the dates, they will come together as a small mix.
• Pinch off small balls of this mix and make small balls.
• Chill for half-hour and enjoy.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!