Switching cold-turkey from cereal to eggs, meat and veggies first thing in the morning can be a bit of a challenge for some folks. If you’re looking for an easy transmission that ups the fats and protein in your breakfast, I suggest subbing your regular oatmeal routine for hot quinoa cereal, if of course, you can tolerate grains in general (which is always something worthwhile looking into).
So why is it that quinoa flakes can be a better option than regular oats? Firstly, quinoa has more protein than oatmeal (each cup of cooked quinoa provides 8.1 grams of protein, compared to 5.6 grams in an equivalent portion of cooked oatmeal), and in fact contains better quality protein than oatmeal. Quinoa contains a "complete protein" meaning that it has all the essential amino acids, while oatmeal's protein provides only some of the essential amino acids. Quinoa flakes have slightly more fibre per serving (this can help with weight management, blood sugar regulation, digestive health, etc., and quinoa has more magnesium (118 milligrams per serving, compared to oatmeal's 61 milligrams), which is good for muscle development and bone strength, as well as mood and energy stability. There are some healthful similarities too…like oatmeal, quinoa flakes are an excellent source of folate, or vitamin B-9, a nutrient that supports metabolism and plays a role in mental health.
Best of all, it only takes 5 minutes to make and will satisfy you throughout the morning, especially if you add healthy fats like nuts, seeds and coconut milk and/or manna!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk or almond milk (I prefer unsweetened, unflavored)
- 1/3 cup quinoa flakes
Directions
- In a small to medium sized saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the coconut milk or almond milk to a boil.
- When the milk comes to a boil, add in the 1/3 cup quinoa flakes, and a pinch of salt, turn off the heat and give the cereal a stir. *Note: at this point you can add any flavoring you like such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, or pure vanilla extract.
- Let the cereal sit for 3 minutes, (set your timer here) to allow the quinoa flakes to cook through.
- Give it another stir, add any toppings you like, and enjoy!
Topping suggestions
- Goji berries
- Dried mulberries
- Dried blueberries
- Chopped dried apricot
- Chopped dried fig
- Hemp hearts
- Raw honey
- Pure maple syrup
- Sautéed pears
- Chopped banana
- Dark chocolate chips
- Coconut manna
- Nut or seed butters such as almond butter, pumpkin seed butter, tahini etc.