Breakfast Quinoa with Cinnamon-Roasted Fruit

Ah, breakfast.  The most underestimated meal of the day.  Breakfast mixed with quinoa?  A protein-packed super meal.  Talk about starting your day off right.

I had seen a few variations on this whole breakfast quinoa thing, knowing that it would need some extra spice for me.  Plain quinoa is a little too bland, a little too mushy, and a little too texturally challenging for me to take.  That being said, I also didn’t want to cover up all the flavor of the quinoa by dousing it in heavy cream or anything super fattening.  The good news here is that you can convert this easily to a vegan version if you would like.  Use whatever fruits you have on hand.  I had some beautiful California figs and some beautiful plump blueberries that I wanted to use up.  Adjust your seasonings to taste here.

 

 

Breakfast Quinoa with Cinnamon-Roasted Fruit

Servings: 2

 

Ingredients

For the quinoa:

2 cups skim milk (or vegan alternative)

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

For the fruit:

3-4 large figs, sliced

1/2 cup blueberries

1-2 tablespoons agave or honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Instructions

1. For the roasted fruit:  Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the agave (or honey) with the cinnamon, mixing well.

3. Add the figs and blueberries to the bowl, and toss gently to thoroughly coat.

4. Arrange the fruit on a foil-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake the fruit until the juices bubble, about 10 minutes or so.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

6. For the quinoa: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil.

7. Add the quinoa, mixing well, and bring the mixture back to a boil.

8. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until almost all of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes or so.  I checked mine every few minutes and stirred gently. (I left the cinnamon stick in the whole time.)

9.  At this point, if you feel there is still too much milk, you can continue to simmer the mixture until the milk has been absorbed to your taste. I wanted mine to be a little more runny, so I found the 15 minutes to be sufficient for me.

10.  Remove the cinnamon stick from the quinoa and place into serving bowls.

11. Top with the roasted fruit and additional agave (or honey) as desired.

 

Source:  Inspired by Martha Stewart.

 

November 28, 2012 - 9:24 am

M - Do you think it would still taste as good if you used powdered cinnamon in with the milk, rather than a stick? Also, do you think it would store well in the fridge? It sounds super delicious, but I don’t usually have much time to make breakfasts in the morning.

November 28, 2012 - 10:09 am

Claire @ Simply Sweet Justice - Great idea! I am always looking for new ways to integrate quinoa into breakfast. Quinoa pancakes are also so good! 🙂

November 28, 2012 - 10:41 am

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar - Love this healthy breakfast idea!

November 28, 2012 - 12:23 pm

Christine (Cook the Story) - Neither of my kids have liked quinoa much when I’ve tried to give it to them even though they generally like most things. I’m thinking that this breakfast version might just be a more welcomed introduction. Thanks for the great idea!

November 28, 2012 - 1:44 pm

srlacy - Hi M-

yes, and yes! Just add a little liquid to the quinoa if you reheat it after storing it in the fridge.

November 28, 2012 - 5:10 pm

a farmer in the dell - This sounds fantastic! We made your split pea soup last night. It was amazing! The fried onions strings were a nice addition. Thanks for the recipes.

November 30, 2012 - 2:51 pm

Bernadette @ Now Stir It Up - I have been looking for a way to introduce quinoa to my better half. This seems like a good way. I like the roasted fruit on top as well. Great idea!

November 30, 2012 - 5:33 pm

November in Review & Top Picks from Around the Web! - Cooking Quinoa - […] Breakfast Quinoa with Cinnamon Roasted Fruit from The Curvy Carrot […]

January 11, 2013 - 8:16 am

marla - Love this recipe! Will be linking back to this in my upcoming post 🙂

January 11, 2013 - 8:41 am

Alyssa | Queen of Quinoa - Lovely recipe! I love incorporating quinoa into breakfast – it’s a great way to get the day started. I found this recipe on Pinterest and am sure glad I did. It looks scrumptious 🙂

I would love for you to enter this recipe into the first ever quinoa link party, Thank Goodness it’s Quinoa (TGIQ), hosted over at my site, Queen of Quinoa. The event will be live all weekend long!

http://www.queenofquinoa.me/2013/01/thank-goodness-its-quinoa-tgiq-1/

Happy Weekend! Keep the great quinoa recipes coming 🙂

January 11, 2013 - 12:58 pm

Acorn Squash-Quinoa Breakfast Porridge on FamilyFreshCooking.com — Family Fresh Cooking - […] Breakfast Quinoa with Cinnamon-Roasted Fruit The Curvy Carrot […]

November 24, 2013 - 7:39 am

Quinoa Super Powers | helenaounxoxo - […] Quinoa breakfast bowl […]

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Quinoa Super Powers | Healthy and Nourished - […] Quinoa breakfast bowl […]

October 19, 2014 - 11:46 pm

Roasted Fruit Dishes: Try These 7 Remarkable Recipes - […] of Chicago’s Department of Anthropology. Try starting your day off the right way with this wholesome breakfast quinoa from the Curvy Carrot. The dish incorporates cinnamon and roasted fruits for an enriched overall […]