Superfood quinoa is combined with fruit, nuts, almond milk, and natural flavorings to make up a delicious, healthy, energizing breakfast. Mix and match the fruits and the nuts, add more toppings if you wish! These breakfast bowls help keep me sane on busy mornings. They can be thrown together quickly and are packed with protein and flavor to start your day in a positive way.
Made up of ingredients many of us keep on hand, these breakfast bowls are easy to make in the morning when your brain is not fully awake, yet once they are eaten, they provide the body and brain with lots of high-quality energy. To make things even easier, you can cook a batch of quinoa ahead of time, and then in the morning, warm up the desired amount on the stove in a bit of almond (or regular) milk. Then just add the desired flavoring (maple syrup or honey and vanilla), fruit, and nuts, and you have breakfast. If you are cooking the quinoa that morning, just use twice as much liquid (water or almond milk) as you do quinoa, and simmer it for about 15 minutes, until tender.
There are endless combinations you can use for this type of breakfast bowl–in this post I am just sharing two basic and easy ones that I enjoy, because sometimes the most simple recipes are the most accessible and helpful in our everyday lives.
Our mornings are still chilly at this time of year, so a nice warm bowl of quinoa with fruit and nuts is comforting and cozy, as well as delicious and healthy. Spring comes in fits and starts here, rarely smoothly. Following our spring snowstorms we had a major heat wave, and now it’s back to damp, foggy weather today. The spring peepers have started, stopped, and started peeping again at least a couple of times in the past couple of weeks. They say that after the peepers have started and stopped peeping three times, then spring is finally here to stay. I have lost count, but we must be about there. Our lilac bushes and cherry trees have little buds on them. A birch tree we thought was dead has just sprouted tiny little leaves!
With spring comes soccer for our kids, which means full schedules and lots of muddy laundry, mixed with lots of fresh air and fun. I get a chance to spend time with my fellow soccer moms, who are some of my favorite people on this earth. Last night they helped me identify some recipe ideas to develop in the coming weeks, since we are all in need of quick, energizing foods and spring crock pot ideas to help us get through these active times with grace and vitality. I have lots to work on!
No matter what the weather is–cold or hot, damp or windy, have you noticed how good the spring air smells? It is full of the promise of new life and new experiences, while at the same time waking up long-buried emotions and bringing back memories from past springs. No wonder spring is such an emotional time! That’s why it’s important to have a good, stabilizing breakfast. I hope you all have a lovely weekend! I’m sharing this post with Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Cynthia @ eatmunchlove.
Two Easy Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
For Quinoa with Dried Berries and Pecans
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa (follow the package instructions, or gently warm up one cup of leftover quinoa in some milk)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of almond milk (or cow’s milk, if you prefer)
- 1-2 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- a handful of dried cherries or dried cranberries
- a handful of chopped pecans
Directions:
Spoon 1 cup of cooked quinoa into a bowl. Moisten it with the desired amount of milk. Stir in the maple syrup or honey and the vanilla. Top with desired amount of dried cherries or cranberries and pecans. Enjoy!
For Quinoa with Sliced Banana and Walnuts
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa (follow the package instructions for cooking, or gently warm up one cup of leftover quinoa in some milk)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of almond milk (or cow’s milk, if you prefer)
- 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 banana, sliced
- a handful of chopped walnuts
Directions:
Spoon 1 cup of cooked quinoa into a bowl. Moisten it with the desired amount of milk. Stir in the maple syrup or honey and the vanilla. Top with the banana slices and the desired amount of chopped walnuts. Enjoy!
The recipe I use for these muffins is based on one from my well-loved Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Tenth Edition, that I have had for many years. The only thing I change when I make these, is that I use melted butter instead of cooking oil, because I really like the flavor of butter from grass-fed cows. Frozen blueberries work great, when fresh ones aren’t available. And the lemon zest adds a great blast of flavor, which we really appreciate. If you don’t like lemon, you can certainly leave that part out.
For this recipe, I am using a type of wheatberries that I bought already parboiled, so they only take about 20 minutes to cook, which is pretty important to me, since my mornings are often rushed. They are fairly easy to find, in natural food stores, or in the grain or health food aisle of many grocery stores. If you have wheatberries that have not been previously parboiled, they can take up to an hour to cook, which is fine if you have the time. One nice thing about wheatberries is that the leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and they are very versatile, so you can make a big batch and serve a breakfast bowl a couple of times a week, or use the leftovers in savory dishes as well. Just warm up the leftovers on the stove with a little added water, or even in the microwave.
I love the hearty, nutty taste of wheatberries, and they are satisfyingly filling too. I can eat a bowl of them and feel sustained for at least a couple of hours or so, without feeling overly full. The ingredients in this breakfast bowl are simple and accessible. I am continually striving for a balance between convenience, nutrition, and good taste. It doesn’t take much time or extra planning to chop an apple, swirl some maple syrup and vanilla extract into some plain yogurt, and sprinkle on a handful of walnuts. 
Yet it tastes flavorful, comforting, and sustaining, like it will give me energy to get my day started in a positive way. Sometimes a recipe can be so simple, yet it’s what we need to give us an extra nudge to try something. I can imagine that bananas, dried fruits, almonds, and milk would also taste really good with this.
