Have you been looking for some ways to incorporate quinoa into your diet that your whole family will enjoy?  Today’s feature is a wonderful quinoa breakfast cereal recipe that has been a hit at my house for the past several months.  I don’t know about you, but hot breakfast cereals are a comfort food to me, and I could eat them all year round (and often times, do!).  Quinoa is packed with good nutrients that make this a hearty, nourishing breakfast you’ll feel good about serving your family.

As with most other grains, if you soak the quinoa overnight, it will be easier to digest and rich in enzymes that are released during the soaking process.  The recipe calls for one cup of cooked quinoa, so this is the part you want to soak.  After cooking it in the morning, you will add the remaining ingredients.

I hope you enjoy this quinoa breakfast cereal and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

2 c cooked quinoa (2/3 c quinoa and 1 1/3 c water with 1 T of yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk to soak overnight)

2 c milk

½ c chopped walnuts

½ c raisins

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Maple syrup to taste

Directions:

1. Soak quinoa overnight and cook in the morning.
2. Combine milk with quinoa and cook until the liquid has been mostly absorbed.
3. Add remaining ingredients, serve into bowls and enjoy!

Do you enjoy breakfast for dinner? We do!  It’s a nice treat once in a while, especially when chocolate is involved.  We also enjoy it as brunch on Saturdays.  I actually made it for dinner recently when we had a guest and it went over very well.  Can you really go wrong with chocolate and pancakes?

I discovered this delectable recipe recently, and it was an instant hit.  I have modified it (just slightly) from the original recipe.  We love it topped with butter and real maple syrup!

You’ll reap more nutritional benefits when you soak some components of this recipe, so begin with these ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cups soft wheat berries
• 2 cups kefir, buttermilk or water with 2 Tbsp whey, lemon juice or vinegar

Pour the ingredients in your blender and blend for a few minutes. Leave at room temperature overnight or up to 24 hours.

In the morning, or when you are ready, add to the blender:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup cocoa/cacao powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup Sucanat
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• dark chocolate chips

Oil & preheat your pan on medium heat.

Add and blend eggs, vanilla, sea salt & coconut oil. Make sure a vortex forms (if needed, add 1 tablespoon or more of water till batter is churning) before adding in cocoa powder, sucanat,  and blend till smooth. Finally, add baking soda and baking powder and blend in thoroughly but briefly.

Make your pancakes by simply pouring the batter from the blender onto your hot pan. Let it sit for a minute and then drop a small handful of chocolate chips on top. When you see bubbles on the top and the edges firming up… flip it over and cook it for a couple minutes.

Serve with real butter and real maple syrup.

Enjoy!