4 healthy New Year, Quick, and Simple Breakfast Quinoa Bowls from one Base Recipe

Some healthy eating experts refer to this breakfast eating as “controlling the elephant.” We’ve all been there, though, skipping breakfast because we think there isn’t time and then being tied up in meetings, work, or life’s many distractions. Suddenly, it’s the early afternoon, and we haven’t had anything to eat but a granola bar that we grabbed in the office break room. Now, your “elephant” is rampant, angry, and taking over. The hunger is terrible enough that you break all the rules while driving home and hit a drive-thru for a greasy burger and fries. Guilt. Shame. That feeling of weakness at not making a good choice. We get it.

Imagine you had taken a few minutes in the morning to grab and eat one of the grain bowls you had prepared beforehand. The whole grain protein, fiber from the quinoa, and added fruit have kept your blood sugar levels regular and the hunger at bay. Come afternoon, you are a little hungry, but you aren’t “hangry.” The “elephant” is under control. You make a healthy dinner choice and feel empowered by your choices.

Taking a few minutes early in the week to prepare meals ahead of time is one of the best ways to stay on track with your goals, and these grain bowls are amazing! They are suitable for up to seven days in the fridge, so you can make them on Sunday and have them ready to eat all week. They are vegan, low sugar, and loaded with fiber to help keep you full for hours and able to face all the challenges of the day. Meet your new best friend, Specialty Grains quinoa.

The genius of these bowls is cooking a batch of quinoa and creating the flavorful base for the bowls, then adding different flavors on top of the grain individual servings. This consolidates your time and effort while keeping you from getting bored by just one flavor of breakfast all week long. We’ve included two flavor base recipes. One is for caramel pecan quinoa, and one is for chocolate caramel quinoa.

Caramel Pecan Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

Basic Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

1/4 salt to taste

Directions: 

• Rinse quinoa with a fine mesh strainer. 
• Combine water and salt in a 1-and-a-half quart (6 cups) heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid and boil. 
• Add the grain, cover the pot, and turn the burner to the lowest setting. Cook covered without stirring for 20 minutes. Fluff. This will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa.

Spiced Caramel Pecan Quinoa Base

3 cups Cooked Quinoa

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup chopped Pecans

3 Tbsp. Coconut Sugar

1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger

Directions: 

• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Divide Between 6 bowls, about ½ cup per bowl.

Estimated Nutritional Info per serving: Calories 171, Fat 5 g, Total Carbohydrate 28 g 

Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 7 g, Protein 5 g 

Caramel Pecan Tropical Carrot Cake Quinoa Bowl

Add per bowl:

1/2 cup Carrot, finely shredded

1/2 cup Dole™ Pineapple chunks with coconut gels

Estimated Nutritional Information per serving: Calories 254, Total Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 48 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 10 g, Protein 6 g

Caramel Pecan Spiced Maple Peach and Blackberry Quinoa Bowl 

Add per bowl:

1 cup Fresh Peach, diced

1/4 cup Fresh Blackberries

1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup

Estimated nutritional information: calories 297, fat 4g, cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrates 62 g, dietary fiber 7 g, sugars 36, protein 6 g.

Chocolate Caramel Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

Basic Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water 

1/4 salt to taste

Directions: 

• Rinse quinoa with a fine mesh strainer. 
• Combine water and salt in a 1-and-a-half quart (6 cups) heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid and boil.
• Add the grain, cover the pot, and turn the burner to the lowest setting. Cook covered without stirring for 20 minutes. Fluff. This will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa.

Chocolate Caramel Quinoa Base

3 cups Cooked Quinoa

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup Organic Cocoa

3 Tbsp. Coconut Sugar

1 1/2 tsp orange zest 

10-15 drops Stevia drops, caramel flavor

Directions: 

• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Divide Between 6 bowls, about ½ cup per bowl. 

Blackberry Pistachio Chocolate Caramel Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

To each bowl, add:

1/4 cup Blackberries 

2 Tbsp. Pistachios, raw

Estimated Nutritional Information: 237 calories, 10 g fat, 34g carbs, 8 g fiber, 8g protein

Raspberry Hazelnut Chocolate Caramel Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

To each bowl, add:

1/4 cup Raspberries, fresh

10 each hazelnut, chopped

Estimated Nutritional Information: 230 calories, 11 g fat, 30g carbs, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein