Busy moms, rejoice! You can prepare this breakfast the night before to make your morning run smoother. This breakfast may taste like Fall, but we enjoy it all year long. Bonus: This is an extremely hearty meal that keeps you full for hours!
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The Best Weapon Against Inflammation
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an ancient superfood. Researchers have recently looked at the antioxidant phytonutrients found in this grain and discovered flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) are abundant in concentrated amounts.
Surprisingly, the concentration of these two flavonoids can sometimes be greater in quinoa than berries! Many people are quick to eliminate grains from their diet, and while this may work for some people, it’s not ideal for most. The truth is, healthy grains can add a lot to our plates!
Gluten-free grains like quinoa are known as a high glycemic food (1), which can help curb appetites and fight obesity. Grains help fill us up, and adding healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats to your diet gives your metabolism a shock.
The Incas mainly consumed quinoa, and historians know they had an extremely healthy diet and excellent physical health. Not everyone should consume a diet full of just any grains, though. Gluten sensitivities are rampant, and many grains like rye, barley, and oats contain gluten. Quinoa is a wonder grain that is non-GMO and gluten-free.
Our world is full of inflammation and environmental toxins, so we must consume as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible! Ah, quinoa. What a tasty way to fight inflammation.
Quinoa Porridge Ingredients
This meal is a delicious, warm treat full of good-for-you ingredients. Your family will love including this cozy dish in your breakfast rotation!
Eggs: I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials that tell you eggs are a superfood. They are filling, serve many purposes, and are full of good vitamins.
Eggs are high in cholesterol, but they don’t raise most people’s blood cholesterol levels (2). In fact, they increase your good cholesterol giving you a lowered risk of heart disease. We prefer using cage-free eggs whenever possible.
Grains: In this recipe, you’ll use leftover grains to create a filling base. I love using my leftovers in creative ways to reduce waste!
You can use leftover cooked oats, brown rice, or quinoa. I must say that quinoa is my favorite option and the one I recommend. It gives this dish such a great texture, and the nutritional benefits are out of this world.
Coconut Milk: This ingredient creams up our breakfast bake without adding dairy! Be sure to get the kind in a can, not a carton. You can usually find it in the baking section.
You want to get the can labeled unsweetened and full-fat. The “lite” variety doesn’t include coconut cream and won’t thicken your breakfast bake.
Sweetener: I recommend using either coconut sugar or liquid stevia for this recipe. Coconut sugar is dark and rich. It adds a flavor reminiscent of maple syrup to this dish. While not as low-glycemic as other sweeteners, it’s still a great option, especially for those at goal weight or who want an occasional treat.
Liquid stevia isn’t as traditionally sweet as coconut granules, but it’s a great choice if you’re watching your weight. Liquid stevia is one of my favorite sweeteners because it doesn’t have fillers or bitterness that you find in other sugar-free sweeteners.
Dried Fruit: Dried fruit makes this recipe extra special. Our family’s favorite addition is raisins, but you can use other varieties as well. Dried cherries, strawberries, prunes, apricots, and peaches all taste wonderful in this porridge. Use any or a combination of your favorites!
When choosing dried fruit, be sure to get one without added sugar. Many brands sneak sugar in as a coating!
Salt: Salt gets a bad reputation, but it’s actually good for your body..in moderation, of course. Traditional table salt is stripped of all benefits, so it’s not ideal for daily use. We recommend using sea salt, such as Colima, because it’s naturally harvested and not processed. You don’t lose any of the benefits!
Essential Oils: This recipe uses pumpkin pie spice AND essential oils to create a distinct flavor. You’ll love how perfectly spiced your breakfast bake is! Bonus: Your house will smell better than any Fall scented candle. Aside from taste and scent, these EOs give health benefits as well.
Cinnamon Essential Oil: Fights against respiratory infections, can positively impact glucose levels, helps protect gut health (3) (4) (5).
Ginger Essential Oil: Helps ease nausea, can help the digestive system move smoothly, can reduce inflammation (6).
Clove Essential Oil: Can ease mouth pain, is excellent for oral health, and is a potent antifungal EO (7).
Safety Note: Essential oils are completely safe to ingest when done correctly. Never ingest any essential oil neat! This recipe uses dispersants to distribute the EOs evenly. Without a dispersant, your mouth would get irritated.
Make an Autumn-Spiced Breakfast Bake
This is the ideal breakfast for busy mornings. As a busy parent, some mornings require all hands on deck to get out the door! To free my hands, I often prep this dish the night before.
- 2 large pasture-raised organic eggs OR 1 tablespoon egg replacer PLUS 4 tablespoons purified or distilled water
- 1½ cups leftover cooked gluten-free oats, quinoa, or brown rice
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat organic unsweetened coconut milk
- 1½ cups unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk beverage
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup organic coconut sugar, or 3 dropperfuls plain liquid stevia
- ½ cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- ½ tablespoon organic pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
- 1 drop ginger essential oil
- 1 drop clove essential oil
- 1 drop nutmeg essential oil
- 1½ quart casserole dish
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In an ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole dish, beat the eggs until fluffy. Stir in the leftover oats, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla, coconut sugar, raisins, Himalayan salt, pumpkin pie spice, and the essential oils, mixing well.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the oven. The top of the porridge may be wet and not fully set. Be careful not to overbake, or it may curdle.
- Stir well and let the porridge stand for at least 15 minutes. The more time it has to settle and cool, the more the liquid will be absorbed. (For ultimate creamy goodness, place it in the refrigerator overnight.) Serve cold or reheat in a 325°F oven for 15 to 30 minutes.
Step One: Mix the Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In an ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole dish, beat the eggs until they’re nice and fluffy. Add the leftover grains, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla, coconut sugar, raisins, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and essential oils. Mix well!
Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes during the baking process until most of the liquid is absorbed. When the timer dings, your quinoa porridge may still be wet and not fully set. This is okay! You don’t want to overbake this dish.
Step Two: Let Cool
Stir the bake well and let it stand for at least 15 minutes. The longer you allow it to settle, the more liquid will be absorbed. If you want the ultimate creamy experience (or need a super quick breakfast!), you can let it sit in the fridge overnight. You can serve it cold or reheat it for 15-30 minutes in a 325°F oven.
