One Hot Cereal

This post is part of the Recipe ReDux Project– the first and only recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians, a group I am honored to be in. The Recipe ReDux aims to inspire the food lover in every healthy eater and inspire the healthy eater in every food lover. This month’s theme is “Fresh Start Breakfasts.” This is a recipe coming up in the March issue of Relish.  Click on the icon at the bottom to see more healthy breakfast posts from my fellow RD’s.

I’m an oatmeal gal. Flat out. I’m not interested in grits or cream of wheat, just a bowl of soupy oatmeal with hot milk, sugar and salt. It’s one of the few things I don’t want butter on. But last month we tested this hot quinoa cereal for our annual March breakfast issue, and now I’m a convert. I’ve had a fair amount of quinoa here and there but frankly was never convinced it was that amazing–despite its super grain reputation. But if you’re a hot cereal gal (or guy), give this one a try. It’s fabulous–just different enough from oatmeal to be refreshing, but familiar enough to be comforting. It’s courtesy of the Georgia Pecan Commission. And not that they’d approve, but I image walnuts or almonds would work just as well. And if you want to go beyond breakfast, here is a link to a fabulous Quinoa Stir-fry with Spinach and Walnuts. Not convinced yet? No worries, here’s a Breakfast Cake that uses leftover oatmeal.

Pecan Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Make this recipe ahead, then scoop a serving into a microwave-safe bowl, top with milk, and microwave 1 minute, or until hot.

• 2  cups 1 percent low-fat milk

• 1  cup quinoa

• 1/3  cup fried cranberries or raisins

• 1  tablespoon butter

• 1/3  cup chopped toasted pecans

• 1  tablespoon honey or brown sugar

• 1/4  teaspoon salt

• 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•   Chopped toasted pecans, warm milk, honey or brown sugar (optional)

1. Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa, cranberries and butter. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans, honey, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Spoon quinoa mixture into four bowls. Top each serving with additional chopped pecans, milk, honey or brown sugar.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

• Calories 250
• Fat 14g
• Cholesterol 15mg
• Sodium 70mg
• Carbohydrates 48g
• Fiber 4g
• Protein 12g