The amazingly beautiful fall weather, including this intense blue sky captured this weekend, have given me my recent cooking inspiration. Given the time of year, I had originally wanted to make pumpkin quinoa muffins. But after 4 attempts in the last week I’ve had to admit to myself that the only recipe I’ve perfected has been one for banana quinoa muffins… at least they have pumpkin seeds in them, making them semi-seasonal! Don’t worry, pumpkin muffins will come soon, the recipe just needs to be tweaked a few more times — which means the roommates will be happy with the amount of baked goods I’ll be leaving around the kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups uncooked quinoa
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup hemp milk (you can probably switch out for any type of milk; soy, almond, rice, etc.)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped raw pumpkin seeds

Recipe:

1. Cook quinoa (remember 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa!) and set aside
2. Whisk egg and mix in bananas, milk and melted butter
3. Combine dry ingredients and chopped pumpkin seeds
4. Combine all dry and wet ingredients and stir in cooked quinoa
5. Pour batter into greased 12-cup muffin pan
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes

Enjoy!