Cranberry Orange Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

This cranberry orange quinoa breakfast bowl is a tasty, gluten free idea for breakfast. Only a few minutes for an easy and healthy breakfast. This hot quinoa recipe has is sweet and chewy and makes a great alternative to oatmeal or porridge.

You might also like this chocolate raspberry keto oatmeal recipe!

I’ve been looking for healthy breakfast ideas to make for my husband as he usually has a bagel or oatmeal. Then one day I thought why not have quinoa for breakfast!

I had a large bowl of cooked quinoa in the fridge as it’s very versatile and one of my favorite grains. You can use in casseroles and pilafs. So I started adding dried fruit and nuts that my hubby would like and made this cranberry orange quinoa breakfast bowl.

It only takes a few minutes to make and you can flavor it so many ways. In the time it makes to make a store bought package of instant oatmeal you can make this healthy “hot cereal or oatmeal” alternative.

Health benefits of quinoa.

Quinoa a seed, but is classified as a whole grain and is a complete source of plant protein. It is very popular these days and you can find it in both sweet and savory dishes. And while it virtually has no flavory it is chewy and gives dishes a lot of texture.

Quinoa health benefits are that it’s:

• high in fiber
• high in protein
• good source of magnesium, B vitamins and minerals
• contains all the essential amino acids you need (source)

How to cook quinoa.

There are so many dishes you can make with quinoa like this quinoa bowl for breakfast or some lemony vegetable quinoa salad  for lunch and then for dinner try some buffalo chicken quinoa.

And if you have cooked quinoa in the refrigerator these dishes will take very little time to make.

Recipe ingredients I used.

All you need to make this quick healthy breakfast is cooked quinoa, dried cranberries, coconut sugar, orange zest, almond slices, raw pecans and unsweetened almond milk.

Note you could use coconut milk if you want. As well as different flavorings. See the recipe notes below for suggestions.

How to make a hot quinoa breakfast bowl.

1. If you don’t have any cooked quinoa on hand you will have to make some and let it cool. Just follow the instructions on the package. Make extra to have on hand for other recipes.
2. Add all the ingredients to a microwave safe bowl. Mix well and then cook it for 2 minutes.
3. Let it cool a little before eating.You can add more sweetener if you like and you can vary the kind of nuts you use. I just happen to have almond slices and pecans. 
4. Scroll down for the recipe card and variations to try.

Recipe notes & variations to try.

• If you don’t have cooked quinoa on hand you will have to make it. Make enough to last you all week or to use for other recipes. It keeps well in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• I used orange zest for the orange flavor. You could also try other fruit zest like lemons or limes. You could even try flavor extracts. Just use 1/2 teaspoon per bowl.
• While I used sliced almonds and pecans you can try any kind of nut you prefer like walnuts, macadamias, cashews etc. Seeds are also nice like pumpkin kernels (pepitas), sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds etc. These add crunch, protein and fiber.
• I used both the dried cranberries and coconut sugar for sweetness. Other dried fruit would work as well as honey or maple syrup. However if you prefer something more sugar free eliminate those and try Swerve brown sugar sweetener or stevia flavored drops.
• While I used almond milk you could use coconut milk, hemp milk, soy milk, whatever you want. 
• Lastly you can play around with fresh fruit like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and other mix-ins like coconut flakes, cacao nibs, chia seeds or dark chocolate chips.

So next time you go to pour yourself a bowl of cereal or even oatmeal, why don’t you give this delicious quinoa breakfast bowl a try? It’s a nice healthy breakfast alternative to oatmeal or porridge. Plus you can flavor this breakfast grain anyway you want.

 I really think you’ll like it. Enjoy!