Meet my new best friend, quinoa. As someone who is trying to limit their carb and sugar intake, quinoa and I have become close friends. If you have never had quinoa before, it is basically a grain that is similar to rice. However, quinoa is different from rice in that it is a complete protein and is very high in fiber and it releases sugar into the blood more slowly than rice.

I’ve been using quinoa as a rice substitute with my dinners, but I recently heard about cooking quinoa for breakfast and I was very intrigued. I decided to give it a shot and I was very happy with the results! The quinoa was sweet and filling just like oatmeal. I loved the mashed banana that I mixed in with it along with some sugar-free maple syrup, and then I topped it off with some fresh blueberries! If you are short on time in the morning, cook the quinoa the night before and just re-heat it in the microwave in the morning! So easy!

Banana Maple Breakfast Quinoa

Serves 4

Ingredients:

– 1 c. uncooked quinoa
– 1 c. water
– 1 c. skim milk
– 1 banana, mashed
– sugar-free maple syrup
– Optional: 1 tbs. ground flaxseed meal, blueberries, strawberries, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring milk and water to a boil, add quinoa. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed (add a little more liquid and cook longer if needed).

1. Stir in mashed banana. Add maple syrup (however much you prefer), and top with fresh fruit!