Fig and Walnut Quinoa Loaf

For those for you that read my blog you will know that I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. Now that the UK is back in Lockdown I feel like I don’t leave the kitchen. I’m thinking of bringing the spare bed down and setting up camp right next to the oven. Only joking! On a serious note, I have spent a little more time in this area of our home and this loaf is one of the many creations we have loved.

After the festive season, we had a few leftovers in our cupboards that I decided to try in this sweet loaf. Walnuts and figs are great foods for helping to promote a healthy gut. They are packed full of fibre and have lots of vitamins and minerals that can help encourage good gut bacteria. As we had a lot walnuts and figs and as I have been spending more time in the kitchen I decided to make this loaf and few other goodies as well. The results were amazing and I just had to share with you.

Do you love figs and if so how do you like to eat them? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.

Equipment

• Bowl x 2
• Large mixing bowl
• Colander
• Nutribullet or blender
• Teaspoon
• Square baking tin
• Wooden spoon
• Grease proof paper

Ingredients

• Figs x 10 – 12
• Quinoa x 200g
• Gluten free oats x 100g
• Walnuts x 60g
• Ground cinnamon x 1 tsp
• Baking powder x 2 tsp
• Bicarbonate of soda x 1 tsp
• Salt x 1 pinch
• Coconut sugar x 150g
• Milk x (your choice) 300mls plus extra if necessary
• Bananas mashed x 2

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4.
• Next pre-line a square baking tin with grease proof paper.
• Put the figs into a bowl and cover in boiling water from the kettle.
• Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
• Now grind the quinoa and oats in the blender or Nutribullet.
• Then add the quinoa, oats, walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to the large mixing bowl.
• Mix all these ingredients together.
• After 5 minutes, drain the figs through a colander.
• Peel and roughly break up the bananas.
• Add these to the nutribullet/blender.
• Now add the figs and milk too.
• Blend these ingredients together.
• Pour these ingredients into the large mixing bowl and mix everything together.
• The mixture might be a little dry so add extra milk if necessary.
• Once all the dry ingredients are covered in the wet ingredients, set aside.
• Put the cake mixture into the pre-lined baking tin and flatten with the wood spoon.
• Put into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes.
• To check it’s cooked put a skewer in and if it comes out clean the brownie is done.
• Once it’s cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for a good 30 minutes.
• When it’s cool enough to touch, remove from the baking tray and leave until completely cooled.
• Cut into squares, serve with coconut cream and maple syrup or eat on its own and enjoy.

Fig and Walnut Quinoa Loaf was a delicious treat. As it won’t keep that long I stored the part we didn’t eat in the freezer. The great part about this loaf is that all the ingredients are freezable. It can be cut into slices and frozen as individual pieces. My husband Howard tried this cake and he did enjoy it. Howard is not normally a dried fruit and nut kind of guy but he ate this loaf and enjoyed it. Even fussy eaters may enjoy this one. However you decide to eat this loaf, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx