Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You will hear this saying a lot, but not necessarily understand why it is true.
Your body goes through a long fast overnight. It is the longest period in a day that you do not eat. When you get up, your body needs breakfast to kick start the metabolism and help you keep your metabolic rate optimal.
However, when you do eat, you want to have something that adds sustenance. It isessential to find something that will add plenty of nutrients while keeping you full for a long as possible. You want food that will help you build strong bones, muscles, and tissues. This is where quinoa comes into play.
Usually eaten for lunch or dinner, quinoa is an excellent oat and grain alternative. It’s a complex protein that will add plenty of nutrients to your diet with just one helping. You’ll find yourself full for hours to come, reducing your snacking and supporting your metabolism considerably. Now it’s just finding ways of using quinoa on a morning. Here are seven recipes that you’ll want to try out for your breakfasts going forward.
Quinoa with Dark Chocolate Breakfast Bowl
Just because you want something healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up all your favorite foods. Chocolate is still allowed,and you can enjoy it for your breakfast. Opt for this breakfast bowl full of dark chocolate and quinoa. You can also add some fruit if you feel guilty for the chocolate. The fruit will add plenty of more fiber and micronutrients to start your day right.
The downside to this breakfast is that it will take about 30 minutes to make. You can make it the day before and then heat it up the next morning.
The best thing about the breakfast is that it isgluten-free and vegan-friendly! If you’re not bothered about it being vegan, you can choose any dark chocolate. The main recipe just needs seven ingredients,and you may already have them. The extra optional ingredients will be in your house already!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 cup of almond milk, unsweetened
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 2tbsp cocoa powder
- 2-3tbsp maple syrup
- Sea salt, to taste
- 3-4 squares of Vegan dark chocolate, chopped roughly
- Optional ingredients:
- 1/2tsp vanilla extract
- Mixed berries
- Banana, chopped
- Chia seeds
- Coconut sugar
Method:
- Rinse out the quinoa completely through a strainer, picking out the discolored pieces, as they will just remain as pebbles
- Place a saucepan over medium heat, placing the quinoa in for 3 minutes, stirring to toast lightly
- Pour in the two kinds of milk and the salt, stirring to combine, and bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer for 20-25 minutes
- Increase the heat if your milkstops simmering, making sure it heats entirely through
- Once the quinoa feels tender, remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder and maple syrup; this is also the time to add the vanilla if using
- Serve in bowls hot, with some of the chocolate broken over the top and the fruit if you choose to use it
You will get about four servings of breakfast from this. You can save leftovers for a few days and use upon other mornings or enjoy as a late-night snack before bed.
Skillet Bake with Quinoa and Banana
This gluten-free and vegan-friendly recipe is perfect. It’s filling with all the fruits, but also tastes sweet and delicious. You’ll beat the sugar cravings on the morning in a healthy way with all the natural sugars from the fruits.
You’ll end up with what looks like pancakes for your breakfast. The kids will love them,and you’ll find yourself turning to this quinoa recipe every time you want something sweeter.
Ingredients:
- 4tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup of quinoa, rinsed fully
- 2 cups of hot water, as hot as possible
- 1/4tsp salt
- 3 bananas, sliced diagonally
- ½ a cup of dates, chopped
- ¼ cup of coconut, unsweetened and shredded
- 3tbsp brown sugar
- 2tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of walnuts, toasted and chopped coarsely
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- In a saucepan, warm 2tbsp of oil over a medium heat and then add the quinoa, stirring to coat the grains completely
- Add the hot water and salt, allowing the mixture to boil before lowering the heat and simmering for 10 minutes; covered
- Meanwhile, use the rest of the oil in your skillet and add in the bananas, cooking for 2-3 minutes until they are browned on both sides
- Place the bananas on a plate and put to one side, leaving the skillet to one side to use later
- Once the quinoa is cooked, add the coconut, dates, and half of the bananas, with a tbsp. of the sugar and tsp of the cinnamon
- Stir everything and remove from the heat, before putting the quinoa in the skillet, spreading evenly
- Mix the walnuts with the rest of the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to blend completely and then scatter over the quinoa evenly
- Arrange the rest of the bananas over the top and place in the oven, cooking for 20 minutes until the top is browned
You can serve this breakfast cold or hot. It does taste better warm, especially in the middle of the winter. Trial this with a few different fruits, especially berries in the summer. You can also try a few different types of sugars or seeds to replace the ones mentioned.
Quinoa Mocha Breakfast Cup
Rather than a breakfast bowl, how about a breakfast cup? This is a meal in a drink, helping you get your caffeine fix and your quinoa at the same time. You’ll no longer need to feel like you must skip breakfast because of the time.
Set your coffee machine to brew your coffee before you wake up. That will help to cut some time down on making this.
Creating a vegan version of this drink is possible. You just need vegan chocolate chips instead of normal ones. Dark chocolate chips will offer less sugar, but you can get a bitter taste with the coffee.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
- 1 cup of brewed coffee
- 1 cup of coconut water
- ¼ cup of chocolate chips
- ½ cup of coconut cream for the topping
Method:
- Add the quinoa, coffee, coconut water, and chocolate chips into a saucepan, over medium heat; allowing to boil
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa absorbs almost all the liquid
- Pour into a cup and serve with the coconut cream over the top
You can opt for different flavors of coffee if you’d like. If you do not want the caffeine in the morning, opt for decaf instead. While you can use instant coffee, it’s best using real ground coffee for a stronger taste.
Quinoa Mixed with Raspberry, Vanilla, and Almonds
It’s time to add a powerhouse of ingredients to your morning meal. With the raspberries, you’ll get a multitude of antioxidants, while the almonds will give you the healthy fats that your body needs to start the day. The breakfast is naturally sweet, which will help you curb many your morning sugar cravings.
This is also the quickest breakfast on the list. There is no reason not to eat breakfast when you have something that takes just five minutes to make. Make the quinoa the night before, so you have it ready to use. If you are going to make this on a morning, you’ll need to add about 20 minutes to your cooking time.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of vanilla almond milk
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4tsp ground nutmeg
- 1tbsp honey or sweetener of choice
- 2 cups of quinoa, fully cooked
- 2tbsp almonds, chopped
- 1 cup of raspberries, or other berries of your choice
Method:
- Mix the milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweetener in a saucepan on a low heat, constantly whisking to make sure everything is combined
- Remove from the heat once the mixture is warmed through
- Add the quinoa to the bottom of your serving bowls and then pour the milk mixture over the top
- Sprinkle the berries and almonds over the top and enjoy
You can make a chilled version of this if you want. Pull your quinoa straight from the fridge before pouring the milk mixture over the top. You can also allow your milk to cool down or chill it in the refrigerator before use.
Try this mixture out with other fruits, nuts,and seeds. Chia seeds are a popular option,and you can mix them well with jojoba berries for more energy and a better metabolism boost.
Quinoa Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Bowl
How about getting a taste of fall into your breakfast? Pumpkin spice is delicious, slightly sweet, and full of nutrients that will give you an excellent start to the day. It’s usually eaten with a dessert recipe, but you can use it for breakfast just as easily.
While the recipe calls for milk, you can choose any milk of your choice. This is a recipe that you can make as allergen or diet friendly as you need. There’s no excuse!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of milk of choice
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of quinoa, rinsed
- ¼ cup of pumpkin puree, plus 2tbsp
- 2tbsp maple syrup
- 1tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2-4tbsp chopped pecans
- Pinch of salt
Method:
- Add the milk to a saucepan and bring it to boil
- Add the quinoa and cover, while simmering, for 15 minutes
- Remove from the heat and allow the quinoa to stand for 5 minutes, before uncovering and fluffing with a fork
- Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin spice and the salt, stirring together to combine it all
- Place in bowls and top with the pecans
Give your mixture a taste to make sure it’s to your liking. You can change the levels of ingredients to suit your own needs to enjoy your breakfast on a morning.
You can add some extra milk to the mixture once in the bowls if you’d like. It depends on how watery you prefer your quinoa breakfast bowl. This is something you get to know more when you eat it regularly.
If you’re allergic to nuts, replace the pecans with some chia or sunflower seeds. They do not quite add the same taste, but they are delicious and good for you.
Peanut Butter and Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Peanut butter is far better than many people believe. The peanuts are full of healthy fats that add energy to your body. You also get plenty of proteins that will help to support the muscle and tissue growth.
On top of this, the breakfast bowl is full of other nutrients that will help you remain full and feel like you’re eating something naughty. You’ll enjoy your breakfast more.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of quinoa, rinsed
- ¾ cup of coconut milk
- 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4tsp ground nutmeg
- 1tsp vanilla
- 2tbsp peanut butter
- ½ an apple, chopped
- 1tbsp pecans
- Pinch of salt, to taste
Method:
- Add the milk to a saucepan with the quinoa, spices, vanilla, and salt, allowing to boil before simmering with a cover
- Cook the quinoa for 15 minutes, and then fluff with a fork gently
- Divide the mixture between two bowls and then add a tbsp. of peanut butter to each of the bowls
- Divide the apples and pecans among the bowls and drizzle some milk if you want
If you prefer your apples to have a softness to them, you can opt for microwaving them for a few seconds. This can help to release some of the juices and will prevent the apple browning from the air. If you prefer the hardness, drizzle some lemon over the apple slices to prevent them browning.
Quinoa Banana Bread Breakfast Bowl
What if you could have a breakfast that tastes just like banana bread? What if you could get the taste without doing any harm to your body? This is the best breakfast for that. It’s time to get a taste of banana bread on a morning with ease. The best thing is you can use up your very ripe bananas!
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, mashed
- ¼ cup of quinoa, rinsed
- ¼ cup of milk of choice
- 2tbsp walnuts
- 1/2tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
- Cook the quinoa as the package instructions state
- Once cooked, stir the milk, banana, vanilla extract, and cinnamon into the mixture
- Pour into a bowl and add the walnuts on the top
This is best served warm and makes a delicious fall or winter breakfast. However, you can make it the night before and eat it chilled. It’s a personal choice.
To help reduce the amount of time you spend cooking on a morning, you can make the quinoa the night before. Heat it up with the milk and banana mixture before you serve. You get the best of both worlds!
Choose Your Quinoa Breakfast Now
There are plenty of options to get started with quinoa breakfasts. You’ll be surprised at the way you can use some ingredients and the types of meals they work with.
There’s something for all needs above. Whether you want a vegan-friendly recipe or need something quick to make first thing on a morning, you will not be disappointed. Now all you need to do is choose one to try out first or opt for working through the list one day at a time. Also, for info on coconut milk in hair, click here.
