Breakfast Quinoa with Mango, Dried Fruit & Pumpkin Seeds

This is a hearty breakfast bowl, lightened up with the summery flavours and bright colours of sweet mangoes and tart dried berries. Making porridge with quinoa instead of oats packs an extra nutrition punch! Quinoa is higher in protein, making it more filling than oatmeal. It also has more B vitamins, iron, phosphorus and potassium. The possibilities with breakfast quinoa are endless, but the toppings here are as nutritious as they are delicious – the vitamin C in the mangoes and dried fruit helps your body to absorb the iron in the pumpkin seeds and quinoa.

Don't be put off by the long cooking time of this recipe – it can be easily turned into a weekday breakfast. Just make a big batch of quinoa and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. When you're ready, just scoop some out, reheat, and top with your favourite toppings.

 

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 cup (250 mL) quinoa, rinsed thoroughly and drained*
• 2 cups (500 mL) milk
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried cherries
• 2 cups cubed mango (about 2 mangoes)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) pumpkin seeds

Method

1. In a saucepan, heat quinoa and milk on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk has been mostly absorbed, about 30 minutes.
2. Stir in cinnamon and dried fruit, and cook until milk has been completely absorbed.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in mango and garnish with pumpkin seeds before serving.

*Quinoa has a protective outer layer of saponins, which give it a bitter, unpleasant taste when not rinsed properly. To remove the saponins, rinse the quinoa thoroughly for at least 3 minutes in a fine sieve, or soak the quinoa for at least 4 hours, changing the water frequently.

Nutrition Information (per serving) 

326 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 6 mg cholesterol, 53 g carbohydrate (6 g fibre, 23 g sugar), 13 g protein, 56 mg sodium.

Suggested Variations

• Instead of milk, try using soy milk, almond milk or rice milk
• Add your own favourite spices and extracts, like vanilla extract, almond extract, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger or cocoa powder
• Stir in ground flax, hemp seeds or chia seeds for some extra fibre and nutrition
• Use your favourite dried fruit and nuts, such as raisins, dried mango, chopped dried apricots, coconut, walnuts, sliced almonds
• Chop up your favourite, seasonal fresh fruit. Apples, pears, berries, banana or kiwi can each bring a different flavour dynamic!