Quinoa & Compote – It’s What’s For Breakfast!
By Nancy Eisman
Did you know that cooked quinoa, served piping hot, is a delicious answer to the question “what’s for breakfast”? Simmered in coconut cream, spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean, sweetened with honeycomb, and topped with seasonal fruit compote, this is definitely worth spending time at the stovetop for a short while in the a.m.
All by itself, with a bit more hot coconut cream and another drizzle of honey over the top, breakfast quinoa is more than fine. For a bit more effort though, while the quinoa is cooking, you can stew up a nutritious and tasty compote to elevate the warm grain mixture to a higher level of palate-pleasing flavors and textures.
Fresh rhubarb is the star of this compote, and while strawberries are the classic pairing, I knew that using blue and blackberries instead would offer more complex berry flavors and colors. With honeycomb for sweetness, orange blossom water for extra special flavor and fragrance, and some fresh kumquat peel for bright, sweet tartness, the result is the perfect accompaniment to a hot bowl of the creamy, slightly chewy, and aromatic quinoa.
As you know, quinoa is rich in protein and other nutrients, and coupled with the compote this breakfast packs a fiber and vitamin-filled wallop. Not as nutritious, but just as delicious, the compote is pretty perfect served over a scoop or two of vanilla frozen non-dairy dessert or drizzled over a simple piece of cake.
Try these recipes as is, but next time use your favorite ingredients to make them your own. The possibilities are almost endless, and whether for breakfast or dessert, sweet quinoa and seasonal compote should definitely get into your menu rotation.
Breakfast Quinoa
1 package Melissa’s Quinoa (remove seasoning packet and save for another recipe)
1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut cream
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons honeycomb
½ vanilla bean, scraped
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Combine all the ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook approximately 15-20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat, let the mixture rest for 2 minutes, fluff with a fork, and serve.
Rhubarb & Berry Compote
3 cups rhubarb, cubed
½ cup of honeycomb
½ cup of water
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
2 tablespoons kumquat peel strips
1½ cups blackberries
1 cup blueberries
Combine the rhubarb, honeycomb, and both waters in a pot. Cook over medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Add the kumquat peels and berries, turn the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the mixture sit about 5 minutes. Serve immediately over Breakfast Quinoa, or let cool slightly before drizzling over dessert.
Did you know that cooked quinoa, served piping hot, is a delicious answer to the question “what’s for breakfast”? Simmered in coconut cream, spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean, sweetened with honeycomb, and topped with seasonal fruit compote, this is definitely worth spending time at the stovetop for a short while in the a.m.
All by itself, with a bit more hot coconut cream and another drizzle of honey over the top, breakfast quinoa is more than fine. For a bit more effort though, while the quinoa is cooking, you can stew up a nutritious and tasty compote to elevate the warm grain mixture to a higher level of palate-pleasing flavors and textures.
Fresh rhubarb is the star of this compote, and while strawberries are the classic pairing, I knew that using blue and blackberries instead would offer more complex berry flavors and colors. With honeycomb for sweetness, orange blossom water for extra special flavor and fragrance, and some fresh kumquat peel for bright, sweet tartness, the result is the perfect accompaniment to a hot bowl of the creamy, slightly chewy, and aromatic quinoa.
As you know, quinoa is rich in protein and other nutrients, and coupled with the compote this breakfast packs a fiber and vitamin-filled wallop. Not as nutritious, but just as delicious, the compote is pretty perfect served over a scoop or two of vanilla frozen non-dairy dessert or drizzled over a simple piece of cake.
Try these recipes as is, but next time use your favorite ingredients to make them your own. The possibilities are almost endless, and whether for breakfast or dessert, sweet quinoa and seasonal compote should definitely get into your menu rotation.
Breakfast Quinoa
1 package Melissa’s Quinoa (remove seasoning packet and save for another recipe)
1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut cream
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons honeycomb
½ vanilla bean, scraped
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Combine all the ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook approximately 15-20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat, let the mixture rest for 2 minutes, fluff with a fork, and serve.
Rhubarb & Berry Compote
3 cups rhubarb, cubed
½ cup of honeycomb
½ cup of water
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
2 tablespoons kumquat peel strips
1½ cups blackberries
1 cup blueberries
Combine the rhubarb, honeycomb, and both waters in a pot. Cook over medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Add the kumquat peels and berries, turn the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the mixture sit about 5 minutes. Serve immediately over Breakfast Quinoa, or let cool slightly before drizzling over dessert.
