Martha Mondays - Quinoa Apricot and Nut Clusters

It was my turn to choose our project for Martha Mondays and I thought I'd choose a healthy one. I use quinoa quite often, but usually use it like couscous as a side dish or use it in my quinoa salad. I thought of trying these Quinoa Apricot Nut Clusters or the Greek Style Quinoa Burgers, so we just went with the first one. If you want to see the recipe check here.
I just wanted to say that this recipe was a typical "Martha" recipe with ways too many steps than are needed. She calls for raw pistachio! Where do you even get raw pistachios? and why do you need them raw? It called for raw sunflower seeds which is fine I use raw sunflower seeds in my granola recipe. Okay, but Martha makes a separate step to roast them. Cooking the quinoa was fine I do it for my salads all the time, but then toast it? Then toast the oats separate? why? then the seeds? Whew! After the quinoa was toasted you do the others as it cools.

Maybe it was necessary to do this with the quinoa because it was still moist form cooking, but I wonder what would happen if you just used it like it was.

The oats are ready to toast....okay I threw the seeds in with them., and didn't do them very long, again...why is this necessary?

Then mix, sugar, chopped apricots, (she wanted them sliced, but I chopped them) I added some dried cherries that my sister gave me. Add the beaten egg, oil, honey and vanilla. Place 1/4 cup scoop and flatten them.

Oops, quick pic before the oven. Oh, she also wanted you to use parchment paper, and you were suppose to lightly oil it...again, why? I used my stoneware bar pan/cookie sheet that I always use and nothing sticks to it. I never grease the pan even when it calls for it and everything comes out fine.

If I tried to move them too soon they fell apart, but they were iffy about sticking together from the start. I tasted one and it didn't have much flavor. The apricot didn't really add much to it. I couldn't taste the pistachios at all. So I decided to do the rest more like a bar and added some nutmeg, cinnamon, and flake sea salt over the top. I liked the cherries in it, and wish I added more.

All in all it was okay. It smelled good when it was baking. It would of been soooo much easier to just do my grandma's granola recipe. Not much need to improve on that, it has a great flavor, easy to make and my family requests that I make it often! Maybe I'll try the quinoa burgers next time.

I thought I would share some flowering trees we saw on our walk.

I took some clicks of the Jacaranda tree in bloom.

The orchid tree is on the tail end of it's blossoms!

Check out the others Martha Monday results. Maybe they had better luck than I did! Thanks for checking mine! Happy Monday!


Edited to add: I had a request for my quinoa salad, I just wanted to show the link for it here .

Quinoa Salad

This was my lunch today. I really got into quinoa this summer. It's nice to add what you like and I threw it in a plastic container and off to work. Monday's are always busy in the Clinic (health room) at school. I think the kids have too much fun on the weekends and don't want to be back at school. Then the parents don't know if they're just tired or really sick so they send them with a note. I call this your free ticket home note. I don't know what kid would stay at school when mom writes a note stating to call if they don't feel well, and they usually don't last an hour.
I did take some time to actually eat lunch today.

Quinoa Salad: I usually make some quinoa when I'm making dinner or I'll make it in the rice cooker, the night before, 1 cup quinoa, to 2 cups water for about 20 minutes. I like it made with water unless you are using it for a side dish, then broth might taste better. I cut some fresh spinach leaves in slivers, diced zucchini, feta or any crumbly cheese you like, cut up tomatoes, and today I had some cilantro I wanted to use up. For the seasoning: 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1tsp marjoram (you can use oregano) garlic powder, sea salt (I used the coarse) and pepper. Mix together and Wal...la! Salad, good to go. If I am eating it right away I like to add avocados, it's so fresh with the lemon! Enjoy!

I guess this would be good for meatless Monday's