Toasted quinoa breakfast bowl with blueberries and walnuts

Ingredients

0 of 8 out on the counter

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1½ cups water

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under cold water for 30 seconds, shaking out the water. This washes off the bitter coating.
2. 2Set a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the damp quinoa and stir 2 to 3 minutes, until the water has cooked off and the grains smell nutty and dry. Move the walnuts to a dry skillet over medium heat and toast them 3 to 4 minutes, shaking often, until they smell toasty. Tip them onto a plate.
3. 3Pour the soy milk and water into the quinoa, add the cinnamon and salt, and stir. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat to low.
4. 4Simmer 19 minutes. At 5,300 ft water boils near 203 °F, so simmered food takes about a quarter longer than the 15 minutes a sea-level pot needs (CSU Extension). It is done when the liquid is gone and each grain shows a small white curl. If liquid is left, cover and cook 2 minutes more.
5. 5Take the pan off the heat, keep the lid on, and let it steam 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
6. 6Stir in the frozen blueberries. The heat of the quinoa thaws them and turns the bowl purple in about a minute.
7. 7Divide among 4 bowls. Top each with half a sliced banana and a quarter of the walnuts. Serve warm.