Breakfast Quinoa

We've all heard it before. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether this is true or not, breakfast is a meal that should never be missed. After a good night's sleep breakfast fills our empty stomachs, fuels up our bodies with energy and sets us up for the day. A healthy breakfast should be filling enough to keep you satiated until your next snack or meal, incorporating complex carbohydrates and protein. An example of a great meal for the morning is hot or cold cereal with fruit and nuts. The recipe below is a healthy and filling hot cereal using quinoa, and its delicious!

Breakfast Quinoa

Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk 
• 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa 
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
• 1 sliced peach 
• 2-3 tablespoons of hemp seed

 Directions:
1. Add almond milk, cinnamon and quinoa to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer covered until most milk is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and fruit.
3. Top with hemp seed and an extra pinch of cinnamon to flavour.

This is the kind of recipe where you can add or substitute any of the ingredients. Feel free to use any kind of seasonal fruit along with nuts, seeds, or sweeteners such as honey or agave. This recipe is a delicious way to eat quinoa and is sure to fill you up and give you energy to get through a busy morning.

What is quinoa? 

Quinoa is a fairly new grain on the American scene that is native to Central America. Although most would call it a grain, it is not from the grass family and is closely related to beets and green leafy vegetables. Quinoa is high in amino acid lysine, which is an amino acid that is commonly low in other grains. Lysine is extremely valuable because it is an essential amino acid that our body cannot produce but is necessary for optimal health. Lysine is important for proper growth, and it plays an essential role in the production of carnitine, a nutrient responsible for converting fatty acids into energy and helping to lower cholesterol. Lysine appears to help the body absorb calcium, and it plays an important role in the formation of collagen, a substance important for bones and connective tissues including skin, tendon, and cartilage. Quinoa is also a complete protein containing all 8 essential amino acids, as well as being high in fiber and phosphorous. Quinoa has a mild, slightly nutty flavour, is gluten free and is easy to digest. Quinoa has been considered a superfood and can easily be cooked in hundreds of ways. Cookies, puddings, soups, stews, casseroles, salads, you name it.  Love what you hear? Quinoa might be your new best friend.