Orange Banana Walnut Breakfast Quinoa

We love quinoa for breakfast! I usually make it with some kind of fruit and a few spices, usually apples and cinnamon, so when I found this recipe I had to try it! It turned out REALLY good, my hubby ate two bowls and my picky toddler ate THREE BOWLS!

I found this recipe on a newly discovered food blog Happy Healthy Mama.

Breakfast Quinoa

Serves 3-4

1 cup quinoa, rinsed (unless you have a brand that is pre-rinsed) – I use the Costco quinoa, Bob Mills brand

1 1/2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (juice from 2 small oranges–if you get a little more or less add or subtract some milk to make sure you have 2 cups total liquid)

zest from 1/2 an orange

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

generous pinch nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

1 banana, mashed

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup – Trader Joe’s has Grade B maple syrup for the best price

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

In a small sauce pan, bring the milk, orange juice, and orange zest to a boil.  Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and quinoa.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, dry toast your walnuts in a small skillet pan.  In a small bowl, mash your banana.  Stir in the maple syrup and set aside.

Remove quinoa from heat and stir in banana/maple syrup mixture.  Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

You can make this the night before and reheat it in the morning – I made a double batch so I can reheat it for future toddler breakfast!