Breakfast Quinoa via The Parsley Thief

When I saw this recipe Breakfast Quinoa with Berries & Bananas in the current issue of Whole Living magazine, I was very intrigued. Quinoa is technically not a grain because it's not part of the grass family {it's a relative of chard, and spinach}...but, because of it's grain-like texture it's marketed as one. It seems I'm always hearing about how good it is for you, and I've had the good intention to use it more in my cooking...but, really don't all that often. It's very high in protein, making it an ideal breakfast choice for me, or my kids. 

This recipe is very adaptable. You can substitute any fruit for the raspberries, blackberries and bananas I used here. I used 2% milk, but you can use whole, skim, soy, or almond milk too. Quinoa is low on the glycemic index...if that's important to you, you can use agave nectar, or stevia as the sweetener. I used maple syrup, but brown sugar would also be delish. If you like a bit of crunch in your hot cereal, chopped nuts would be great. 

Breakfast Quinoa with Berries & Bananas

Adapted from Whole Living Magazine, September 2011 

Serves 1-2 {depending on your appetite} 

Being a "grain" which contains loads of protein, Quinoa is very nutritious way to start your day. This recipe is very adaptable...you can use any fruit {apples, pears, apricots}, milk {whole, skim, soy}, or sweetener {agave, brown sugar, stevia} here. It would also be great with some chopped nuts on top! 

1/2 cup quinoa {rinsed + drained} 

1 1/2 cups milk 

1 tablespoon maple syrup {or to taste} 

pinch of ground cinnamon 

1/2 cup mixed fresh berries 

sliced banana 

Bring the milk and quinoa to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the quinoa is tender, and most of the milk has been absorbed {about 15 minutes}. 

Remove from heat, and stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon. Serve topped with berries and banana slices. 

Click here for the printable recipe.