This Oat and Quinoa Porridge is a great choice for breakfast if you want something hot, creamy and filling. I guarantee if you have quinoa for breakfast you won’t be hungry till lunchtime!
Why you should cook this
- A quick, easy and satisfying breakfast
- Easily customisable to suit your taste
- High in protein and fibre
- Uses cooked quinoa to reduce cooking time in the morning
Variations
There are a number of ways you can switch up this recipe according to your tastes. Here are some ideas to try:
- Use different ingredients to sweeten the dish such as maple syrup, honey or mashed banana
- Try flavouring the porridge with your favourite spices such as cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg
- Add nuts or seeds
- Use your favourite non-dairy milk if you don’t drink cows milk
FAQs
What is quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced keenwah) is a gluten-free grain-like seed that is high in protein, fibre and antioxidants. There are many types including black, white and red. Quinoa has a lot of nutrients including vitamin E, magnesium, folate, zinc and iron.
How does quinoa taste?
Quinoa has a mild nutty taste and a chewy texture when cooked. It has quite a bland taste and flavours need to be added to it.
What are rolled oats?
Rolled oats are oats that have been de-husked and steamed, then rolled flat under heavy rollers. They are lightly toasted to stabilise the oils. When cooking them in porridge they absorb water more quickly than steel cut oats and therefore cook faster.
How do you cook quinoa?
This recipe uses cooked quinoa, but how to you cook it?
I love quinoa and eat it several times a week. To keep things simple I like to keep a batch of cooked quinoa in the fridge so that it can quickly and easily be added to dishes such as this porridge.
Making quinoa is a simple process. For plain quinoa add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa and 2 cups of cold water to a pan.
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the grains start to look like the picture below.
Drain the cooked quinoa in a sieve, leave to cool then fluff with a fork.
Store the cooked quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to five days.
As well as adding it to porridge, I like to sprinkle quinoa onto salads, or heat it in a pan with some olive oil and my favourite herbs and spices and serve it with main meals.
Ingredients: vanilla oat and quinoa porridge
Quinoa – this needs to be pre-cooked (see section above for instructions). You can use any variety.
Oats – I like to use rolled oats as they cook relatively quickly and give a lovely creamy texture. You can use steel-cut oats instead of rolled oats but you’ll need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes
Milk – I think this tastes best with cows milk but you can substitute with other dairy free milks.
Vanilla – try to use vanilla paste or pure extract. Try to avoid anything called vanilla essence or vanilla flavouring. These are synthetic products with lots of additives.
Sugar – any type of sugar is fine.
Banana and blueberries (or other fruits of your choice)
How to make vanilla oat and quinoa porridge
- Prepare the oats – in a medium-sized saucepan, combine the oats, quinoa, water and milk. Stir in the vanilla extract and sugar.
- Cook the porridge – place the saucepan over a medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the oats have softened and the porridge has thickened to your desired consistency. - Serve – remove the porridge from the heat and divide it between your serving bowls. Top each bowl with sliced banana and fresh blueberries, or any other fruits of your choice.
- Enjoy – serve the porridge warm, and feel free to drizzle additional milk on top if desired. Enjoy your delicious and nutritious breakfast!
Feel free to adjust the sweetness level and toppings according to your taste preferences.
Storage instructions
This recipe is best eaten fresh but you can store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat thoroughly on the stove or in the microwave adding some milk or water to loosen it up if needed.
You can freeze cooled portions for up to one month. It will need to be thawed overnight or in the microwave.
Reheat the thawed porridge on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
More great breakfast recipes
Vanilla Oat and Quinoa Porridge
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tsp sugar
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 handful fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Prepare the oats – in a medium saucepan, combine the oats, quinoa, water and milk. Stir in the vanilla extract and sugar.
- Cook the porridge – place the saucepan over a medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the oats have softened and the porridge has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve – remove the porridge from the heat and divide it between two serving bowls. Top each bowl with sliced banana and fresh blueberries. Enjoy your delicious and nutritious breakfast!
Notes
- You can adjust the sweetness level or use a different ingredient to sweeten the dish such as mashed banana or maple syrup.
- If the porridge is too thick after cooking, add some more milk or water to loosen the consistency.
- Use any other fruit if you prefer or add nuts or seeds.
- This porridge can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated thoroughly with a splash of milk or water.
- It can be frozen in portions for up to a month. It will need to be thawed overnight or in the microwave. Reheat the thawed porridge on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
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