vanilla berry breakfast quinoa bowl

As my OG readers know, I have been reintroducing foods over the last 6 months after being hospitalized from mold toxicity among other things. I finally introduced quinoa and dang, what an amazing addition!! There are so many things I want to make with it but I am starting off with something lovely and seasonal to take advantage of berry season and the transition from summer into fall.

Enter: VANILLA MIXED BERRY QUINOA BOWL. Like your favorite morning bowl of oatmeal… but dare I say, better?!

It’s so warming with ribbons of Sunbutter running through, jammy berries, nutritious hemp and flax seeds and of course, vanilla ghee for the perfect buttery (but lactose free) sweetness.

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What you’ll need

• Organic quinoa *it can be precooked or you can make it fresh

• Nut butter - I love Sunbutter but you can use any option you like!

• Hemp seeds + Flax seeds

• Sea salt - I use Celtic in this recipe

• Mixed berries - I love using Trader Joe’s organic frozen wild blueberries and topping with fresh blueberries/blackberries

• Vanilla ghee - I use 4th&Heart my all-time favorite brand *you could also just add a little vanilla extract but you’ll miss out on the little buttery touch that, I think, takes this recipe up a notch

The benefits of these ingredients

Quinoa: A gluten-free ancient grain that is minimally processed and often organically grown aka no pesticides. It is packed with nutrients such as fiber, protein, manganese, amino acids and quercitin! Fun fact - did you know scientists are considering it as one of the best suited crops to grow in outer space?

Sunbutter: A great option if you are allergic to other nuts / avoid peanuts like I do since they are high in mold! Sunflower seeds are a great source of protein, healthy fats, and magnesium.

Hemp seeds + Flax seeds: Hemp seeds and flax seeds are great sourced of omega 3’s + 6’s, fiber, and protein!

Wild blueberries: Unlike regular blueberries, which I also love, wild blueberries are smaller and often frozen since they only grow in a few regions in the world. They contain 2x more antioxidants than regular blueberries and are packed with compounds called anthocyanins that have been shown to have anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects.

Ghee: An amazing lactose free option if you are looking for that buttery flavor. It is a natural source of butyric acid (this naturally occurs in your gut as well) which helps your body absorb nutrients from the food you eat. I love that 4th&Heart is made in small batches and comes from grass-fed butter.

As you can see, I love 4th and Heart so much, I reuse their jars for all sorts of things!

Vanilla berry breakfast quinoa bowl

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 mins (less if your quinoa is cooked)

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of rinsed quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups of water

• 1 tbsp vanilla ghee *taste & add more as desired or add a splash of vanilla extract

• 1 tsp of salt; I use Celtic salt

• 4 heaping spoonfuls of Sunbutter + any to drizzle on top *bring to room temp

• 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries; left at room temp for 5-10 minutes

• mixed berries, your preference on topping amount

• 1 tbsp flax seeds

• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

Directions

1. Warm your quinoa

   1. If you are cooking it fresh: rinse quinoa in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add quinoa and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and leave uncovered. When almost all of the water is gone (about 8-10 minutes), turn off and cover. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the quinoa to “bloom” and get those fluffy curlicues. Fluff with a fork and it’s ready!

2. To the warm quinoa, mix in the vanilla ghee / vanilla extract if using.

3. Add in wild blueberries, Sunbutter, and salt. Lightly mix all together.

4. Transfer to a bowl, top with hemp seeds, flax seeds, more Sunbutter if you like (I always do) and any fresh berries you desire!

5. Enjoy!