Quinoa Porridge

Porridge is always touted as the ‘slow release fuel’ that keeps you full until lunchtime. However, every time I have oats for breakfast it results in an embarrassingly audible stomach growl come 11am. Enter quinoa. I’m not a huge fan of it’s slightly green, bitter tang in it’s usual couscous-like form, but I picked up a bag of quinoa flakes from Planet Organic (it should be easy to track down in most health food shops or online) and I’m hooked on quinoa porridge.

Lighter and less gluey than it’s oat-y counterpart, but still a hearty start to the day, quinoa flakes are also gluten-free, packed with protein (granted only a little more than in oats, but with eight essential amino acids it counts as a ‘complete protein’), fibre, iron and zinc – perfect for keeping skin, hair and nails happy!

To make:
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
About 2/3 cup milk (I use a mix of almond milk and water)
A pinch of sea salt or Himalayan rock salt

Add everything to a small saucepan (or mix in a bowl and put in the microwave if you’re that way inclined) and stir over a medium heat for a couple of minutes until thickened and hot.

Then add in whatever you fancy…

Sweeteness (I sometimes add a couple of drops of liquid stevia or a drizzle of honey, maple syrup or agave)
Coconut oil (adds a delicious Bounty-bar flavour and health benefits too long to list)
Berries or a little sliced banana
Coconut flakes
Cinnamon
Nuts or seeds (I like cashews, almonds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds)
A spoonful of almond/peanut/cashew butter

n.b. Leftover cooked ‘whole grain’ quinoa also works, but the texture will be a little more like rice pudding.

The post Quinoa Porridge appeared first on LipsSoFacto.