Wholesome Quinoa Porridge for Breakfast

Have you been eating quinoa for a while, or not really sure what on earth it is? Regardless of your familiarity with quinoa, know that it’s packed with nutrients! It’s also a wonderful substitute for better-known grains like rice, giving you the chance to mix things up a bit. Whether this will be your first time making quinoa or if you’re a seasoned quinoa-maker, here’s a simple and nutritious breakfast recipe to add to your list – Quinoa Porridge with Apples, Cinnamon, Walnuts and Coconut Milk – Enjoy!

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Jump straight to the recipe.

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Quinoa Porridge with Apples, Cinnamon and Coconut Milk

I’d been wanting to get more familiar with quinoa for a while but hadn’t yet found a simple recipe that I could whip up regularly. That is… until I discovered this breakfast quinoa porridge!

It’s so important to keep trying new things, so that eating doesn’t become boring, but also so that we give our bodies a variety of foods.

What makes Quinoa so special?

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, is referred to as a ‘pseudograin’ – because it’s actually a seed but is prepared and consumed like a grain (like rice).

Quinoa is considered to be a superfood because it’s high in nutrients. It’s a great source of protein and fibre. It also contains a healthy dose of many essential micronutrients like manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, folate, copper, iron, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2 and B6.

Just as examples, one cup of cooked quinoa can contain up to 58% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of manganese and 30% of the RDA of magnesium. Pretty impressive.

And, at the same time, Quinoa is low in calories and sugar. Double plus!

So, with the impressive nutritional profile of this supergrain, it’s safe to say that there are multiple health benefits of eating quinoa.

Another benefit of eating quinoa is that it’s naturally gluten-free. So, if you have gluten-intolerances or celiac disease, quinoa makes for a great alternative.

You can enjoy quinoa in so many ways too – Add quinoa to soups, stir-fries, or salads. Enjoy it as a side to protein. Or you can eat it as your morning breakfast porridge, like I do 🙂

A few special ingredients.

I love cooking with just a few simple ingredients because it makes it easier (of course), but it also gives each ingredient more of a chance to shine.

This recipe contains 5 ingredients – quinoa, apple, cinnamon, walnuts and coconut milk.

And while quinoa is the star of the show in this recipe post, let’s not forget that each of the other ingredients add to the nutrient boost too.

Apples contain a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, and are a great source of vitamin C and fibre. You know what they say… An Apple a Day… Read more about the health benefits of apples here.

Walnuts are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals – They are known to be the top nut for brain health, with a healthy dose of essential omega-3 fatty acids. Read more about the many other health benefits of walnuts here.

Cinnamon is a powerful spice that has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. It’s a great source of essential nutrients, and is high in antioxidants that can help slow the ageing process. Read more about the health benefits of cinnamon here.

Coconut milk does contain saturated fats, which has gotten a bad wrap. However, that said, coconut milk is still considered to be a “miracle liquid” by many health professionals because of its ability to help support the body’s immune system and prevent disease, amongst other benefits. Read more about the health benefits of coconut milk here.

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Making your Quinoa Porridge just right.

When you make this recipe, take note of what you’d like to adjust. This is one of those recipes that, the more you make, the more you’ll adjust to suit your preferences.

You may want to use milk instead of water. Or perhaps you’d prefer to use another kind of milk instead of coconut milk, like regular or almond milk. Perhaps you want the porridge to be more or less liquidy. Or perhaps you prefer to add some extra sweetness to the mix, and if so, honey works great.

Try this recipe a few times and make it work for you. Make it your best quinoa porridge ever, just right for you!

Tips to make this recipe just right:

Treat quinoa like rice or oats – If it’s your first time cooking quinoa, just think of it as an alternative to rice or oats. You cook it in a similar way.

Add water slowly – The recommended ratio of liquid to quinoa is 2-to-1. That said, you may find it too liquidy. If you’re making quinoa for the first time, I’d recommend adding little less liquid than the 2-1 ratio. Then, as it cooks and soaks up the liquid, you can decide if you want to add the rest of the liquid or not.

Wait for the seeds to sprout – As the quinoa cooks, the seeds soak up the liquid and basically sprout. That’s how I know when my quinoa is ready because I’ll see the little sprouts coming out of the seeds. From there, you can taste and decide when it feels ready for you. I like a little bit of crunch, but you may like it much softer.

Use your preferred liquid – I don’t eat much dairy and prefer to make quinoa with water, and then add a splash of coconut milk to it towards the end. That said, you can use all milk instead of water. Choose something you like, but also be open to experimenting.

Use red apples – Red apples are sweeter and work really well in this recipe as they add some soft sweetness to the bowl.

Get the best coconut milk you can find – In this recipe, you don’t use a lot of coconut milk, so look for the best one you can find. Read the Ingredients Lists on the back of coconut cans, and get the one with the least and most natural ingredients. Some cans have all sorts of weird added ingredients, while others are simply coconut and water. The cleaner and more natural the better.

Add the chopped-up apples halfway through cooking your quinoa – This is a fabulous tip, as the apples cook a bit and are lovely and warm in the porridge.

Add your own mix of nuts and seeds – For this recipe, I chose walnuts, because they go really well with apple and cinnamon, and because they’re the top nut for brain health. That said, add your own mix of nuts and seeds to add your perfect crunch.

If you’re eating alone, save half to warm up for breakfast another day – Depending on your hunger, this recipe generally makes 2 portions (it is very filling). So, if you’re eating alone, save the other half of the quinoa in the fridge and warm it up for a quick and easy second breakfast.

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[RECIPE] Quinoa Porridge with Apples, Cinnamon, Walnuts and Coconut Milk

Below you’ll find the full recipe, enjoy!

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If you make this recipe, share your creation with me 🙂
Share in the comments below or take a photo and tag @livethewonderful.life on Instagram.

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