Basic Breakfast Quinoa and Nectarine Murabba/Compote
I don't eat breakfast, as I generally don't have time to do so, but this basic 'porridge' recipe inspired by Martha Stewart, featuring quinoa, might solve that problem in the future.
Basic Breakfast Quinoa
Basic Breakfast Quinoa - serves 4
1 cup quinoa
2 cups milk, whole or 2%
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
pinch or two of ground cinnamon
Fruit Add-ins - amounts are rough estimates
1/4-1/3 cups dried fruits like apricots, cranberries, dates, raisins, prunes
1/3-1/2 cup fruit compote
1/2 cup fresh fruit like whole blueberries or diced firm fruit like apples, pears, peaches, nectarines
Soak quinoa for a half hour or rinse several times and then drain it well.
In a medium sized pan, bring the milk to a boil and stir in the prepared quinoa. Once the milk has returned to the boil, reduce the temperature to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, salt and ground cinnamon, cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
If using dried fruit, add it in with the brown sugar and cook for the additional 10 minutes. If using fresh fruit, add it in a few minutes before end of the final cooking period and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If using the fresh fruit compote, stir it in just before serving.
Additional add-ins: Roasted seeds like sunflower seeds may be added before serving or nuts like sliced almonds. For additional sweetness, a tablespoon or so of sweetened condensed milk may be poured over the quinoa.
This 'porridge' may be eaten warm or cold with additional milk poured over the top.
Breakfast quinoa with nectarine compote stirred in and more served on top
Dried cranberries and sweetened condensed milk ... I didn't have any oranges or I would have added some orange zest as well. Ready for cold milk to be poured over.
Another possible quick breakfast ...
The inspiration for this fresh fruit compote recipe was found on "The Story of a Kitchen" blog
Nectarine Murabba/Compote served over drained yogurt
Nectarine Murabba/Compote - makes 2 cups
1 pound nectarines** (or apricots or peaches), peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4 cardamom pods, cracked
1/4 tsp rosewater
pinch of salt
juice of one lemon (use the juice of half a lemon if your fruit isn't fully ripe)
** Free-stone fruit is preferred but cling-stone works too
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to the boil. Add the diced fruit, cardamom pods, rosewater, salt and the juice of half a lemon and stir through. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Taste one of the fruits and only add the rest of the lemon juice if it seems sweet enough.
Transfer the fruit to a 2 cup capacity glass canning jar. Pour over enough of the syrup to cover the fruit. Screw on the lid and let cool on the counter until it has reached room temperature and then refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Serve over drained yogurt for breakfast or as a dessert topping over ice cream or cake.
Basic Breakfast Quinoa
Basic Breakfast Quinoa - serves 4
1 cup quinoa
2 cups milk, whole or 2%
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
pinch or two of ground cinnamon
Fruit Add-ins - amounts are rough estimates
1/4-1/3 cups dried fruits like apricots, cranberries, dates, raisins, prunes
1/3-1/2 cup fruit compote
1/2 cup fresh fruit like whole blueberries or diced firm fruit like apples, pears, peaches, nectarines
Soak quinoa for a half hour or rinse several times and then drain it well.
In a medium sized pan, bring the milk to a boil and stir in the prepared quinoa. Once the milk has returned to the boil, reduce the temperature to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, salt and ground cinnamon, cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
If using dried fruit, add it in with the brown sugar and cook for the additional 10 minutes. If using fresh fruit, add it in a few minutes before end of the final cooking period and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If using the fresh fruit compote, stir it in just before serving.
Additional add-ins: Roasted seeds like sunflower seeds may be added before serving or nuts like sliced almonds. For additional sweetness, a tablespoon or so of sweetened condensed milk may be poured over the quinoa.
This 'porridge' may be eaten warm or cold with additional milk poured over the top.
Breakfast quinoa with nectarine compote stirred in and more served on top
Dried cranberries and sweetened condensed milk ... I didn't have any oranges or I would have added some orange zest as well. Ready for cold milk to be poured over.
Another possible quick breakfast ...
The inspiration for this fresh fruit compote recipe was found on "The Story of a Kitchen" blog
Nectarine Murabba/Compote served over drained yogurt
Nectarine Murabba/Compote - makes 2 cups
1 pound nectarines** (or apricots or peaches), peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4 cardamom pods, cracked
1/4 tsp rosewater
pinch of salt
juice of one lemon (use the juice of half a lemon if your fruit isn't fully ripe)
** Free-stone fruit is preferred but cling-stone works too
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to the boil. Add the diced fruit, cardamom pods, rosewater, salt and the juice of half a lemon and stir through. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Taste one of the fruits and only add the rest of the lemon juice if it seems sweet enough.
Transfer the fruit to a 2 cup capacity glass canning jar. Pour over enough of the syrup to cover the fruit. Screw on the lid and let cool on the counter until it has reached room temperature and then refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Serve over drained yogurt for breakfast or as a dessert topping over ice cream or cake.