Quinoa is a food that, until a few years ago, was a complete unknown to many. However, little by little it began to gain a large number of followers and, currently, this food is present in many kitchens and diets. If you still do not know the properties of quinoa, you should know that this food has a lot of benefits when compared to other cereals.
One of the characteristics that make it so special is its high content of complete protein, which is why it has made a preferential place at tables for vegans and vegetarians, as well as athletes and those people who, without following a certain diet, they enjoy taking care of themselves. If you want to know how to cook quinoa for breakfast and fill up on protein for breakfast. We will tell you!
How to cook quinoa?
When buying quinoa, we will verify that it is a hard seed, just as if we were buying rice or lentils. Due to this, it cannot be consumed directly (unless we buy it already pre-cooked, although it will always be healthier if we prepare it ourselves at home).
- To cook quinoa, the first thing we must do is wash it. To do this, it is best to leave it in a container of water for some time. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
- Then, we will remove the water by passing it through a strainer and it will be ready to cook. This step is important because quinoa has a high content of saponins, some disinfecting substances that, although essential for the plant, in our stomach could cause heaviness, in addition to providing bitterness.
- Once we have the quinoa washed, we can bring it to a boil directly with a little salt and a splash of oil. Cooking time varies from one type of quinoa to another. In general, the most common is to leave it al dente, which usually takes about 15 minutes to boil over medium heat. However, the best way to ensure the best result is to try the quinoa while cooking.
- Then, we will remove the quinoa from the fire and strain it to eliminate the water. Next, we will wash it with cold water to cut the cooking, just as is usually done with Italian pasta or rice.
When to make quinoa for breakfast?
As we have seen, quinoa is prepared quite easily, although you should always keep in mind that to carry out all the steps correctly, you will need some time. This means that, if we want to have quinoa for breakfast, the most advisable thing is to prepare the quinoa in advance to consume it already ready at the moment in which we want.
Quinoa can be cooked and stored in a container in the refrigerator without any problem, since it is a food that can stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days without problems, sometimes even longer. In this way, if we are going to start taking quinoa with our breakfasts, the most advisable thing will be to cook it quietly when we have time and leave it ready in the fridge to be able to take it directly in the morning without the time rushing over us.
Quinoa porridge for breakfast
If you try quinoa directly, without any dressing, you will see that it is a food with little or no flavor. For this reason, if you are thinking about how to prepare quinoa for breakfast, we suggest that you try some of our favorite recipes with quinoa.
The quinoa porridge is a very healthy, rich and easy to prepare breakfast quinoa recipe. Also, if you are vegan or vegetarian, this recipe can become one of your favorites. You will only need:
- Almond milk or coconut milk.
- 2 or 3 cups of quinoa, depending on the amount you want.
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional).
- Half a banana.
- A handful of raspberries or blueberries.
To prepare this breakfast quinoa recipe, follow these steps:
- Cook the quinoa as we have previously shown you.
- When you are about to remove the quinoa from the heat, add the almond or coconut milk. If you prefer, you can also add milk later, although we recommend that you mix the two ingredients well so that the taste is richer.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and cut the banana.
- Add the banana on top of the quinoa and, later, the raspberries and / or blueberries.
If you want to prepare quinoa for breakfast and bet on the delicious quinoa porridge for breakfast, you should know that you can prepare it with a wide variety of ingredients and in many different ways. You can add, for example, pieces of apple, blackberries, strawberries or any other healthy ingredient that you want to mix with the quinoa.
