Healthy Quinoa and Fruit Breakfast Porridge
Porridge does not induce visions of delicious food but oh lala a warm bowl on a cold morning is soooo comforting.
Because I often get asked for gluten-free ideas, particularly for breakfast, I’ve been playing with quinoa options. The result perfectly fits the dictionary description of porridge.
1. a food made of oatmeal, or some other meal or cereal, boiled to a thick consistency in water or milk.
The way to take porridge from boring bland to something to look forward to by adding in fruits. Here are some ideas to start; the options are innumerous – let’s play with flavor and textures and know that with variety we get a broader range of nutrients.
Variations
After spooning quinoa porridge into a bowl add mix-in of choice
Banana Berry: 1 sliced banana, 1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry).
Carrot Cake: 1 grated carrot, 2 tablespoons coconut, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (or other nut)
Apple Pie: 1 chopped apple, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Pumpkin Pie: add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and
Customize! Using whatever fruits — apples, peaches, nectarines, oranges, mango, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or whatever you have in your fridge — and nuts or seeds – walnuts, almonds, pumpkin – on hand.
Use leftover quinoa to make breakfast in minutes. Simply warm up 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan, add 1/2 cup cooked quinoa. Stir occasionally, adding milk to preferred consistency, until it’s warm Serve with toppings of choice per above variations.
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 2 - 2 1/2 cups milk of choice (I usually use almond sometimes dairy)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 - 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- Place quinoa, cinnamon stick and 2 cups milk in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, immediately turn down heat to simmer and cover.
- Stirring occasionally, cook for 20 minutes, until quinoa is uncurled and soft.
- Add milk to the desired consistency. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup or honey.
- Top with fruit and nuts. Apple Pie: 1 chopped apple, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- Banana Berry: 1 sliced banana, 1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry).
- Carrot Cake: 1 grated carrot, 2 tablespoons coconut, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (or other nut)
- Pumpkin Pie: add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and Customize!
