Quinoa Breakfast!

Quinoa (keen-wah) Yummy!

Quinoa – what is it?  It is a super high protein grain/seed that is certain to be your new go to.  Move over rice!!  Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a little seed that cooks faster than rice and lends itself to sweet or savory dishes.  We use it for salads, soups, breakfast, fried rice/quinoa, stirfry, etc…..

The flavor is very mild, slightly nutty, by no means overpowering to the dishes it is served with or in.  When you cook it right it will be fluffy and tender.  One thing to keep in mind is that you must rinse it before you use it.  Quinoa has a substance on it that makes it taste bitter if you don’t rinse it off.  It is a naturally occurring substance that is part of it’s natural defenses against animals that eat it (smart plant!).

Quinoa in the water ready to cook!

Here are the basics of cooking Quinoa (my favorite way)

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil

Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa to the boiling water and cover

Turn the pot to simmer for 10 minutes

Turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for at least 10 minutes more.

This method will give you lovely fluffy quinoa perfect for turning into a side dish or putting in the fridge for later use.

quinoa cooking with cinnamon and other spices – usually I make my quinoa plain then add spices at the very end with the other options.

This time I was making a large amount for breakfast so I added the spices while it was cooking.

mmmmmm….. everything is better with vanilla!

roasting almonds the quick way!

ooooooh so many options for a customizable breakfast!

mmmmm… today we have apple sauce, raisins, roasted almonds, maple syrup and spices!

Note

If I already have cooked quinoa in the fridge we heat it up with a little coconut milk (or your favorite milk) add sweetener and spices and eat it like a porridge.  Keep in mind the quinoa will not absorb the milk, it is meant to be a little soupy.