And we’re back on our Clean Eating Adventure today with a breakfast recipe!
My first experience with quinoa was 16 years ago in my high school Spanish class. The group assignment was to write a report and give a presentation to the class about a pretend trip to Chile. The most ridiculous thing about our presentation was our ploy to earn brownie points by making Chilean food for the class even though my cooking skills were nonexistent at the time. Our offering included virgin strawberry daiquiris (yup, extremely Chilean, I know. But just wait…) to start off the presentation, which, after giving them out to the class, my friend and I quipped in unison, “Anyone feeling…Chile?” Brutal. Pretty sure the whole purpose of the daiquiris was just to say that one cheesy line. Definitely have filed that moment under “one of those things that sounded like a brilliant idea at the time.” Anyway…
We did redeem ourselves with an authentic Chilean quinoa and veggie salad prepared by my mom (duh). She even scoured the internet for the recipe and went to the specialty grocery store to buy the quinoa. That’s an impressive feat, considering 16 years ago there was no Pinterest bursting with quinoa recipes. Plus, how did she actually find a store that carried quinoa with no iPhone to take her there? At any rate, thank you mom for earning us an A on the project.
Fast forward to present times and I’m happy to report that I’ve gained some cooking skills AND quinoa is back from its 16 year hiatus! I’m in love with it. Did you know quinoa is a seed? When cooked, the seeds expand slightly, yielding a fluffy texture similar to couscous but it’s chewy at the same time. Some like to cook it a bit longer than recommended for a softer, mushier consistency. But I’m a chewy quinoa kind of gal so I left it that way for this Banana Hazelnut Breakfast Quinoa.
Say whattt? Quinoa for breakfast? Oh yes, quinoa not only works in savory dishes, but it also makes extremely hearty and filling breakfasts! This breakfast quinoa simmers with almond milk to build a rich and creamy base. To that, I added maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, banana, and chopped hazelnuts. Let all those flavors and textures marry for a bit while the quinoa thickens. Top it off with extra banana and hazelnuts and finish with a drizzle of maple syrup. What a perfect and comforting way to start the day!
- ⅓ cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 ¾ cups almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon almond butter
- 1 banana, chopped and divided into 2 equal portions
- 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, chopped and divided into 2 equal portions
- In a large saucepan, heat the quinoa and almond milk over medium heat.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn down to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, almond butter, half of the chopped banana, and 1 tbs of chopped hazelnuts. Mix together until combined.
- Cook the mixture on low for another 1-2 minutes or until it has thickened. The mixture may still seem runny, but once in the bowl, it will thicken up even more.
- Pour mixture into 2 bowls. Top each portion with 1 tbs of chopped hazelnuts and the other half of the chopped banana. Drizzle with a bit more maple syrup if you wish.
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 267 Fat: 9.1g Carb: 43g Fiber: 5.2g Protein: 6.9g Sugar 16.1g Sodium: 160mg
Interested in more Clean Eating Adventure recipes? Check these out:
- Tuscan White Bean Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers
- Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats
- Roasted 8 Vegetable Soup
- Zucchini Noodles with Kale Almond Pesto
- Tropical Island Green Smoothie
- Brussels Sprout, Sweet Potato, and Lentil Sauté
- Lemon Rosemary Shortbread
- Cashew Nacho Cheese
- Loaded Kale Nachos
Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! 
I always need good breakfast inspiration and this looks fabulous. The story about your presentation made me laugh loudly. Thanks for that! And 16 years ago to find quinoa was quite a feat. Don’t you just love the amazing variety of foods from all over the world that we are lucky enough to have access to?
Your welcome for the laugh:) yes I love that I can find everything at my local grocery store these days. I found goji berries at Target last week!