One of my favorite new ways to enjoy quinoa is by adding a good bit to my breakfast.  I eat oatmeal or oatbran just about everyday for breakfast.  I’m pretty much an oatmeal purist, which means I don’t like to add a lot of “stuff” to my oatmeal.  I also do not eat “oats in a jar”, it’s just not my style nor does it make for an attractive food picture to look at (true statement).

Of course there are a few exceptions of things I’ll add to my oats, like fruit for example.  Oh summer time and peach oats, how I cannot wait for you to show up!  Another thing I really like adding to my oats is quinoa.  It gives my morning breakfast a little bit of a twist in texture but not enough to throw off the meal.  It’s an easy and quick way to bump up the protein content of the oats without having to rely on a nut butter or going the savory oats (eggs, etc) route.  Since I don’t like savory oats at all, quinoa is right up my alley!

I add in cooked quinoa when I add in the oats.  If I’m making oatbran, once it starts to thicken up a bit, then I’ll toss in the quinoa.  I add probably about 1/2C of quinoa to the mixture.  The oats and oatbran I make in the morning gets divided between Scott and I.  I eat 3/4 of it because I eat and need a bigger breakfast than he does.

I’ve read that one can make a breakfast dish with straight up quinoa.  Cooked quinoa with the addition of some liquid will result in a creamy breakfast dish much like oatbran in texture.  I have not tried this out only because I’m too in love with oats and oatbran to move on to another.  For now, I’ll just keep adding in some quinoa from time to time.