Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Start with cooked quinoa, then add a bit of sweetening, spice, fresh fruit, and nuts or seeds for a nourishing breakfast that will sustain you through the morning. If you make quinoa recipes regularly, you may have leftover, unseasoned quinoa in the fridge, which is ideal for this — less to do in the morning! Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.

Serves: 1

• 1/2 to 1 cup leftover plain cooked quinoa, depending on your morning appetite
  (use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa to cook it if you have no leftovers)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup vanilla nondairy milk (almond or hemp milk are good for this),
  sweetened or not, as you prefer
• 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener (if not using sweetened almond or hemp milk)
  such as agave or maple syrup (see note)
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cardamom, to taste
• Fresh fruit of your choice (about 1/2 cup) — choose from diced apple, pear, mango,
  or stone fruit in season; sliced  banana; whole blueberries or raspberries; sliced strawberries
• A sprinkling of nuts and/or seeds (choose from chopped walnuts or pecans,
  sliced almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp or chia seeds (optional)

Warm the cooked quinoa in a small saucepan with a little nondairy milk (or, if cooking from the start, add the nondairy milk once the quinoa is done).

When most of the nondairy milk has been absorbed, transfer to a bowl. Stir in sweetener and spice to taste.

Top with fruit of your choice, followed by nuts and seeds of your choice. Serve at once.

Note: You can use a touch of stevia liquid or powder instead; remember, very little goes a long way!

Variation: Use other leftover cooked grain in place of substitute (brown rice, couscous, barley, etc.). Or use rolled grain flakes like spelt, kamut, steel-cut oats, or even quinoa flakes.

• Here are more easy vegan breakfast recipes and ideas.