• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Living Well Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Favorites
  • Easy Meals
  • Main Dish
  • Health
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Favorites
    • Easy Meals
    • Main Dish
    • Health
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes

    Breakfast Quinoa

    Published: Sep 26, 2014 ยท Updated: Apr 20, 2023 ยท Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Quinoa for breakfast is a great way to get in your whole grains to start the day and is a nice change from the typical bowl of oatmeal

    Breakfast Quinoa4

    I love love love breakfast, and I get on these kicks where I eat the same breakfast every single day for like a year.

    My senior year in college and the first year I was in graduate school, I had a bowl of oatmeal and a few egg muffins {or a hard-boiled egg} every day.

    That's two years, friends... Two years of the same breakfast pretty much every single day {minus some weekends}.

    Needless to say, I got a little tired of oatmeal.

    But oatmeal is so good for you. It gives you heart-healthy soluble fiber which is great for helping to lower your cholesterol. It also has some protein, especially if you make it with milk.

    Unfortunately, seeing or even thinking about eating another bowl of oatmeal made me want to gag, so 1) I gave myself a month-long oatmeal break and 2) I came up with an oatmeal alternative: Quinoa

    I love quinoa!

    Breakfast Quinoa3

    It's whole-grain food. In fact, I don't even know if they make a non-whole grain version, so there's no issue with trying to find the whole grain version {unlike so many other grains like flour, for example}.

    Not only is it a whole grain, but it also has a reasonable amount of protein. That's pretty cool trait to have when you're navigating through the plethora of grains.

    A lot of people eat mostly carbohydrates at breakfast, and while carbs aren't a bad thing, you need a little protein at breakfast {and every meal for that matter} to keep you going all morning. So quinoa it is.

    Breakfast Quinoa2

    Another good thing about quinoa is that it can typically be tolerated by those that must follow a gluten-free diet, so if that is a concern for you then quinoa is a great choice {but make sure to check your package for a gluten-free label}.

    I'm making quinoa for breakfast, and I think you should too.

    It's pretty similar to oatmeal, but it's not oatmeal. And while I do get tired of things, I like a breakfast routine, so this is perrrrrfect.

    Breakfast Quinoa1

    Milk helps boost the protein content and add extra flavor. I use 2% since you will be heating it and don't want it to break down {like skim milk sometimes does}. Warming cinnamon, a touch of salt {to enhance the sweet flavor}, some vanilla extract, and a little bit of maple syrup morph this hearty grain or lunchtime staple into a breakfast-worthy meal.

    I like to sprinkle it with a few chopped nuts and/or berries. I also drizzle a tiny bit of extra maple syrup on top just for good measure {about 1 teaspoon extra per serving} but that's just a personal preference.

    This is really adaptable to your taste, so use honey instead of maple syrup, coconut milk instead of regular milk, almonds instead of peanuts, anything goes here. Enjoy!

    Breakfast Quinoa

    Change up your breakfast by using quinoa instead of oatmeal. A delicious bowl will warm you from the inside out and fill you with heart-healthy fiber and lean protein
    No ratings yet
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 2 cup milk 2%, whole, non dairy
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ยผ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup plus more to taste
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ยผ cup chopped nuts optional

    Instructions

    • Rinse quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer.
    • Stir together quinoa and milk, and heat over medium-low. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to very low.
    • Cover, and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has absorbed. Stir in cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
    • Transfer to bowls and sprinkle with chopped nuts, if using.

    Notes

    Makes 2⅔ cups

    What to Use in This Recipe

    Le Creuset Multifunction Pan
    Saucepan
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    More Recipes

    • blue baking dish with hot blue cheese dip with bacon and walnuts surrounded by a towel and crackers.
      Blue Cheese Bacon Dip
    • baked zucchini slices topped with pizza sauce and cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet.
      Zucchini Pizza Bites
    • close up of a white bowl with jalapeno pimento cheese.
      Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
    • white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.
      Low Sodium Salsa
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachael@AnAvocadoADay says

      September 28, 2014 at 1:24 pm

      Yummy I love breakfast quinoa! Have you cooked with amaranth before? It's like quinoa but has an even creamier, porridge consistency. So yummy!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        September 30, 2014 at 9:21 pm

        Thanks Rachael! I haven't cooked with amaranth before but I'll have to remedy that! Sounds delish ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme, a thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist from Alabama living in San Diego. Here to help you enjoy food, feel better in your body at any size, and live free of diets & shame.
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Slow Cooker with French Toast Casserole syrup and blueberries

    Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    white plate with cream cheese stuffed peppers surrounded by baby bell peppers, walnuts, jalapeno, and a napkin

    Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

    close up of a bowl of lamb curry over rice sprinkled with mint and coconut flakes.

    Instant Pot Lamb Curry

    cream colored plate with veggie egg muffins on blue table with sliced oranges and a white napkin

    Spinach Egg Muffins

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    white and blue napkin next to cream-colored plate with two salmon chickpea patties and roasted broccoli.

    Salmon Chickpea Patties

    Turkey and Asparagus Roll Ups from Living Well Kitchen

    Turkey Asparagus Roll Ups

    white cup of cheeseburger chowder topped with cheese, bacon and green onions with another cup of soup and canned veggies

    Cheeseburger Chowder

    chicken nugget vegetable kabobs on a plate of green leaf lettuce, dipping sauce, lemon, yogurt, bag of frozen chicken nuggets

    Chicken Nugget Vegetable Kabobs

    Salad

    bag of lentils, fresh tomatoes, and a clear bowl with lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

    Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

    glass bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad next to fresh rosemary, lemon, and scattered green lentils.

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    white bowl with avocado egg salad.

    Avocado Egg Salad

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    blue baking dish with hot blue cheese dip with bacon and walnuts surrounded by a towel and crackers.

    Blue Cheese Bacon Dip

    baked zucchini slices topped with pizza sauce and cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Zucchini Pizza Bites

    close up of a white bowl with jalapeno pimento cheese.

    Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

    white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.

    Low Sodium Salsa

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Videos
    • Easy Meals
    • Quiz

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT