Recipes

Coconut-Quinoa Breakfast Bowl With Lemon And Blueberries

Image by Courtesy of Emma Frisch

By Emma Frisch April 18, 2018

COCONUT-QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL WITH LEMON AND BLUEBERRIES

prep: 10 minutes cook: 20 minutes yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or a mix

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

3⁄4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (preferably sel gris)

1 cup fresh blueberries or other seasonal fruit 1 cup quinoa (see Note)

11⁄4 cups water 1 cup coconut milk (Note: Use whole coconut milk, full of good fat and flavor. Light coconut milk has added water.)

2 tablespoons honey

1 lemon

Good-bye, oatmeal. Hello, quinoa breakfast bowl. Inspired by a recipe from cookbook author Heidi Swanson, this healthful, energizing, protein-rich breakfast masquerades as a decadent dish you’ll want to eat all day! It’s fun to set up a toppings buffet so each camper can make his or her own bowl. If traveling light, you can substitute dried fruit for fresh fruit. Bring a can of coconut milk, and save extra for adding to coffee or drizzling over Firelight Quinoa Granola Clusters (page 40).

PREP

Preheat the oven to 325°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together the nuts, coconut oil, and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt and spread in a single layer. Toast in the oven until the nuts turn caramel brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a second baking sheet and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks.

Transfer the prepared nuts and the berries to small bowls with spoons for self-serving, or serve directly out of the containers.

In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, water, and 3⁄4 cup of the coconut milk. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes. Quickly uncover the pot and stir the quinoa to check if it’s done; the liquid should be completely absorbed and the quinoa full and fluffy. If needed, continue to cook for 1 to 3 minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover the pot to keep warm.

Just before serving, drizzle the remaining 1⁄4 cup coconut milk and the honey into the quinoa and stir to combine. Using a Microplane, grate lemon zest over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Spoon into campers’ bowls and let each camper top their quinoa with blueberries and toasted nuts. Store leftovers in an airtight container, chilled, for up to 5 days.

Note: Quinoa has a bitter coating called saponin. Nowadays, most quinoa is prerinsed to remove the saponin, but to maximize flavor and be sure it’s not bitter, follow these steps: In a pan over medium heat, toast the quinoa until they start popping and smell roasted, 5 to 8 minutes. Then, rinse in a fine-mesh strainer before using.

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