Breakfast Quinoa

I'm always on the hunt for a healthy breakfast that actually keeps me full throughout the morning.  Smoothies and oatmeal are delicious but I seem to get hungry within an hour or so.  I was recently perusing Pinterest and saw a pin about sweetened quinoa.  It sounded interesting, especially since I had never been a huge fan of it's savory form.  Plus, it's arguably a superfood, so I thought I might as well try it.  

I found a recipe that had the quinoa cooked in milk.  With a bit of sugar and cinnamon, the result is something like a hardy version of rice pudding. It's rich and delicious while still maintaining an element of healthiness. I've been eating it every morning for a couple weeks now and have no complaints.   

Look at the beautiful superfood.

You can obviously tweak the fixings to your liking.  I am a huge fan of almonds and I found that the coconut goes really well with the nutty quinoa flavor. Also, if you want to make this vegan, try cooking the quinoa in soy or coconut milk. 

I usually make a batch on a Sunday and reheat a small portion each morning of the week. You will be surprised by how little cooked quinoa you need to be satisfied.  I heat up the cooked quinoa in a small saucepan with a little added milk (a couple tablespoons) so it doesn't stick to the pan.   

Breakfast Quinoa
adapted from Apple a Day

makes 4 to 5 servings


1 cup quinoa (I use a blend of red, white, and black)
2 cups milk
3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar
cinnamon

Fixings

toasted almonds
toasted shredded coconut
sliced banana
cranberries


In a medium-sized saucepan on medium-low, bring milk to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.  Stir in quinoa. Cover with a lid and turn heat to very low.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  

Add brown sugar and a few healthy dashes of cinnamon.  Cover and cook on low until milk is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 7 minutes. Serve with desired fixings. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week.