Quinoa Breakfast Combo

The other day I was browsing Martha Stewart Living while standing in the grocery line and came across a breakfast recipe for quinoa. Not many people think of quinoa when they think of breakfast food. Until then, quinoa for breakfast had never crossed my mind. I don’t cook quinoa as often as I should, considering what a healthy grain it is, but when I do, it is usually eaten for lunch or dinner and paired with beans or leafy green vegetables.

Aside from eggs, grits and bacon, there are a whole host of nourishing alternatives to help you get your day off to a great start. If you are not familiar with quinoa at all, you’ll be happy to know that it is a great source of fiber and is easily digested. Quinoa is a flat oval shaped grain that expands to nearly 3 or 4 times its size when cooked. It has a mild taste, usually taking on the taste of whatever it is cooked with, kinda like couscous. Quinoa is also rich in protein, iron, potassium, vitamins and minerals. It is what I consider a super-grain! I tend to buy grains in bulk from my local Earth Fare or Whole Foods because it tends to be a bit cheaper. Plus I love the healthy focused ambience of healthy grocers (weird right?), so it gives me an excuse to stop by. But you don’t have to buy quinoa in bulk, you can also find bags or boxes of quinoa in most grocery stores on the grain aisle with rice.

What you need:
1 cup milk, 1% organic
1 cup water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 tsp cinnamon
honey
chopped walnuts

What you need to do:

1. Bring milk and water to a slow boil over medium heat. Leave uncovered.
2. Add quinoa.
3. Reduce heat to maintain a slow, rolling boil. Stir frequently.
4. Cook quinoa for ~20minutes or until done.
5. Add raisins and cinnamon.
6. Turn off heat and cover. Allow combo to rest for 5 minutes.
7. Spoon into a bowl. Garnish with honey or agave and chopped walnuts.

Be inspired to cook!