How to Cook Red Quinoa for a Power Breakfast

I’ve been taking this weight training/fat burning class for months, twice a week, and noticed that on some days it makes me hungry all day. I needed a plan to eat something powerful as soon as I walk in the door

After talking to my trainer, she suggested I eat carbs and protein after her killer workouts, because the workouts are designed to deplete glycogen. The workouts put our bodies into a serious fat burning mode, but if some of that is not replaced with carbs, we will lose our energy for the rest of the day.

I took a food sensitivity test a few weeks ago and it has been suggested that I refrain from several foods including apples and eggs for 8 weeks. I tend to eat those two foods every day, so this was a big disappointment. Other foods on the list included oats and gluten and gluten free flours like potato starch and then odd foods I never eat like chick peas. Having almost no grain choices or my go to eggs, outside of smoothies, I had very few breakfast choices I could bite into.

This is where red quinoa comes in. I like the chewiness of red quinoa and wondered how it would work as a breakfast item, perhaps a porridge or granola replacement.

I started to eat it hot, but it ended up being really good with fruit and cold milk. Next time I’ll be putting in some toasted nuts, which will give me crunch and more fat and protein.

How to Cook Red Quinoa 

This is so easy. Rinse thoroughly with a mesh strainer for two minutes. Add to saucepan with twice the amount of water and dash of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Watch your pan. I once burned mine. Done.

Red quinoa has a bit of chewiness to it, so it’s better than cereal or oats or any other cooked grain I’ve tried. Paired with blueberries that have been sweetened with stevia (or honey) and it’s most amazing.

I’m also told to stay away from coconut and almonds, but fortunately I have no sensitivity to dairy. Hooray for that, but you could easily use almond milk or coconut milk. You can switch out the fruit, but for a serious brain boost, use blueberries and walnuts.

I cook it before I go and I take frozen blueberries out and sprinkle with stevia, and by the time I come home 90 minutes later, the blueberries are sweet. I add milk and the milk turns blue which is why I didn’t show that in the photograph. It has that appeal that cereal has, yet it’s low glycemic and oh so healthy.

More things you can do with red quinoa for breakfast:

Add yogurt instead of milk.

Add toasted nuts, such as almonds or pecans. This reminds me of granola, but is not so calorie dense.

Add dried fruit, like dried cranberries or cherries.

Eat it HOT instead of cold like a porridge, by adding in warm milk, not cold.

Add cinnamon sugar or maple syrup.

If you want red quinoa for Lunch try this amazing super anti-oxidant salad with red quinoa and red beet pesto.

Here is a savory Italian inspired salad with Red Quinoa, Brussels Sprouts with Parmigiano Reggiano,

So tell me, do you eat a good breakfast and have you ever tried red quinoa?

Print Recipe

4.34 from 3 votes

How to Cook Red Quinoa for a Power Breakfast

Red quinoa for breakfast with fruit, either hot or cold.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 teaspoon stevia or swerve, an erythritol blend
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or nuts of choice
• milk

Instructions

• Rinse quinoa well in mesh strainer. This will take about two minutes. You must rinse off the saponin or the quinoa will be bitter.
• Put both quinoa and cold water in a sauce pan.
• Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Add salt.
• Lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle blueberries with stevia or swerve and let sit while quinoa is cooking.
• Serve quinoa with berries, nuts and almond milk.

Notes

Almond Milk is not counted in nutrition values.

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