Breakfast Quinoa with Almonds and Mixed Berries

It's that time of year again when I write "ok, time for a short and easy post."  The time has come where I am beginning to get swamped with projects, papers, and other random work that somehow needs to get done.  If eating, exercise, and sleep can also be thrown into that mix and done at some point in my life, then I would think that I've done a pretty good job.  If not, then that's just life...sigh.  It's crazy to think that the semester is almost over, but it really is!  Classes end in two and a half weeks, and I'll be done with finals and back at home in exactly a month from today.  I can't wait!  But for right now, I'm going to have to get back to the present and finish writing this up, feeling super sleepy after my third legitimate all-nighter since Sunday, and feeling kind of hungry since I chose to sleep for a half hour instead of getting something for breakfast.   I wish I had some breakfast quinoa right about now...

Quinoa is one of my favorite foods.  It's one of those "super healthy" foods that is packed with protein, is very filling, and also happens to be very easy to prepare, only requiring a pot of boiling water to make.  Perhaps my favorite thing about quinoa is the fact that it is pretty bland.  While that may sound like a weird sentence, it's very true.  The fact that quinoa doesn't really taste like very much on its own really allows you to make an infinite number of dishes with quinoa, and you can add almost anything you like to it.  It's kind of like oatmeal in that sense.  Keeping oatmeal in mind, quinoa also works really well when prepared like oatmeal and served for breakfast.  It's quick to make and will definitely hold you over for several hours, making it a perfect option to have for an everyday breakfast if you get tired of your regular breakfast cereal or oatmeal. 

This is perhaps one of the healthiest things you can treat yourself to during breakfast, and I say "treat yourself," because breakfast quinoa really is that delicious!  Not only does it taste great, but it is incredibly simple to make (no harder than making a batch of oatmeal or a pot of rice), and very versatile.  If almonds and mixed berries really aren't your thing, no worries.  Just swap them out for whatever fruit and nut combination you like, and the breakfast quinoa will taste just as good.  My mom added dried cranberries to her bowl, and my dad liked his with raisins and a little sprinkling of cinnamon.  All three flavor combinations were delicious!  Also, feel free to make this with regular milk if you'd like, and the brown sugar can be replaced with agave nectar, honey, or any other sweetener you like.  

Enjoy!

Breakfast Quinoa with Almonds and Mixed Berries

Ingredients

2 cups almond milk
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 almonds
mixed berries

Directions

Bring the almond milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the quinoa, and return to a boil.  Once the milk is boiling, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until about three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the brown sugar, and cook several more minutes (just until enough of the milk has been absorbed, to your taste).  Remove the quinoa from the heat, stir in the almonds and mixed berries, and serve. 

Makes about 4 servings