Almost Instant Breakfast Quinoa



I love starting the day with a bowl of warm breakfast cereal. Hearty and soothing- it fills me up and curbs my hunger. But, I don’t always have the time to make a pot of steel cut oats or fresh simmered breakfast quinoa. I can spare 2 minutes…so Almost Instant Breakfast Quinoa is my hot cereal of choice.

It’s ready in a snap because this breakfast quinoa recipe starts with cooked quinoa. I often have a bowl of cooked quinoa in the fridge to use for quick dinners like quinoa salad, or to serve with baked tofu or steamed veggies. Turns out, it’s also great for breakfast.

Here’s an easy recipe for breakfast quinoa. First, you’ll need to make a pot of quinoa. Do this the night before.

How to Cook Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse and drain quinoa. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling. Cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 10 to 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Makes about 4 cups cooked quinoa.

Next, transfer the cooked quinoa to a storage container. Cover and refrigerate until breakfast time. After a good night’s sleep, get up and make a bowl of breakfast quinoa.

Almost Instant Breakfast Quinoa
2/3 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk or soymilk
Pure maple syrup, sucanat or brown sugar
Desired toppings such as fruit, nuts, seeds and spices

In a 2-cup microwave-safe bowl combine quinoa and almond milk. Microwave on HIGH power for about 1 minute until hot and steamy. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup. Add desired toppings. Makes 1 serving.

Topping ideas for breakfast quinoa:

  • Mango, almonds, coconut and cinnamon
  • Blueberries, raspberries, walnuts and ground flaxseed
  • Diced fresh apple, banana slices and peanut butter or almond butter
  • Dried cranberries, golden raisins, pistachios, cinnamon and ginger

Recipe Link:
Breakfast Quinoa from Martha Stewart

Product Link:
The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (by Alicia Silverstone)

Maple Almond Granola

Granola is one of those things that’s so easy to make, once you try it you’ll wonder what took you so long to come around. Here’s an easy recipe for homemade granola. It’s lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon and a touch of ginger. Delicious topped with fresh sliced banana or dried fruit and a splash of soymilk.

Maple Almond Granola
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup raw almonds or walnuts
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (shelled)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon coarse (Kosher) salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon canola or safflower oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place oats, almonds and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir to combine. Drizzle with maple syrup and oil; stir well.

Spread oat mixture on large rimmed baking sheet (15- x 10-inch). Bake 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Bake 5 to 15 minutes more or until toasted, stirring every 5 minutes. Transfer granola to a large bowl or spread on large piece of foil; cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Tip: Dried fruit like golden raisins or dried cranberries are the perfect addition to this granola. Add dried fruit just before serving. Storing granola with dried fruit can cause granola to soften.

Similar Recipe: Great Granola

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Whole Wheat Zucchini Nut Muffins

Zucchini has a way of piling up at the end of summer. Baking zucchini muffins and zucchini bread is a great (and tasty) way to make use of all that squash. Here’s a healthy zucchini nut muffin recipe made with whole wheat flour instead of white flour and yogurt in place of part of the oil. For a flavor boost, add a handful of golden raisins, dried cranberries or miniature chocolate chips.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Nut Muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or sucanat
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 cup finely shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place paper baking cups in 12 regular size (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups. Spray paper baking cups lightly with cooking spray.

Place flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Stir to combine; set aside.

Place egg, sugar, yogurt, oil, zucchini and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in nuts. Divide batter among muffin cups.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until browned and toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins

Storage Tip: Individually wrap and freeze muffins up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a microwave before eating.

Recipe Links:
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
Vegan Zucchini Bread

Product Link:
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

Whole Wheat Fresh Blueberry Muffins

Looking for a lighter blueberry muffin? Try these hearty whole grain muffins made with juicy fresh blueberries.

Whole Wheat Fresh Blueberry Muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar or sucanat
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place paper baking cups in 12 regular size (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups. Spray paper baking cups lightly with cooking spray.

Place flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to combine; set aside.

Place egg, sugar, applesauce, yogurt, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in bluberries. Divide batter among muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins

Kitchen Tip: Frozen blueberries can be used in place of fresh. Keep blueberries frozen until just before using (do not allow to thaw).

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