Coconut Breakfast Quinoa

I had this dish pinned for a long time after finding it on how sweet it is. Too long I now see. This is a breakfast dish that is easy to make, incredibly healthy, and keeps you full for a really long time.

Take time to toast the quinoa, it will go a long way to develop a more complex flavor. And don’t skimp on the toasted nuts - you must have crunch to contrast the quinoa. Experiment with the fruits and toppings of your choice - granola would likely go fantastic here, as would toasted coconut, cacao nibs, etc!

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa, rinsed well

¾ cup canned lite coconut milk + more for drizzling (sub ½ cup coconut milk and 1/3 nut milk to make it lighter)

2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon + more for sprinkling

pinch of salt

1 or 2 teaspoons of sweetener of choice, optional (agave, honey, stevia)

1/3 cup toasted nuts, chopped: pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts,almonds, etc.

lots of chopped fruit: chopped banana, pear, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apple, etc.

Inital optional (but recommended) step: heat a small saucepan and add a pinch of coconut oil. Add drained quinoa and toast, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty (about 5 minutes). This will develop more flavor.

Add liquids, cinnamon, salt and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to lowest setting, cover, and let cook for ~18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa can be fluffed with a fork. If using, stir in your sweetener.

Divide quinoa into two bowls then cover with fruit (banana and pear in mine), toasted nuts, and a few extra drizzles of coconut milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Serves 2