Who doesn’t like a “little something” in their lunch or as an afternoon “treat”.  Kids love it, preparing and consuming.

1              cup water
1/3         cup quinoa
1              cup butter, softened
1/2         cup packed brown sugar (I have decreased it from the original 1 1/3 cups)
2              large eggs
1 ½         tsp vanilla
2              cups whole wheat flour
1 ½         tsp baking powder
1              tsp cinnamon
¼             tsp sea salt
1 ¼         cups rolled oats
1              cup ORGANIC coconut
1/3         cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/3         cup flax seeds (use freshly grounded)
1/3         cup sesame seeds
1              tsp baking soda

Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 min.  Turn the heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for an additional 6 min.  Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease/line with (quality) parchment paper.

Cream the butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and vanilla; mix thoroughly.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the oats, cooked quinoa, coconut, sunflower seeds, flax and sesame seeds to the flour mixture and stir until well blended.  Combine the butter mixture and stir until well mixed.

Roll the dough into 1 ½” balls.  Place 2” apart on the baking sheet.  Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand.  (KIDS LOVE THIS PART)  Bake on center oven rack for 8-10 min until the bottoms are light brown.  Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.  Store the cookies in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  Freezes well and ready to go for lunches.