Berry quinoa breakfast meal prep is a great alternative to oatmeal! Simple and delicious with chewy quinoa, crunchy almonds and sweet berries. Gluten-free, vegan, clean eating, and prepped in under 30 minutes!
Quinoa breakfast meal prep
Steel cut oats are one of my favorite breakfasts, but it is also great to mix things up once in awhile. If you are looking for a meal prep breakfast oatmeal alternative, then this quinoa breakfast meal prep might be perfect for you!
This quinoa breakfast recipe is slightly sweet (you can add as much or as little sweetener as you'd like), with chewy, nutty quinoa, crunchy almond slices and sweet berries.
You can make this super hands off and cook your quinoa in a rice cooker, or you can prepare this on the stove top.
Either way, this quinoa breakfast meal prep is ready in under 30 minutes, and is incredibly simple to prepare!
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How to make breakfast quinoa
Maybe eating quinoa for breakfast sounds a little strange to you, but stay with me! I promise, it is really yummy!
To cook the breakfast quinoa,ย I simmered my quinoa in some almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla. If you are cooking in a rice cooker, I do not recommend using almond milk, as it froths up and bubbles through the vent, making a big mess. I use water instead, and it's still very delicious!
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You could also prep this quinoa breakfast meal prep in your Instant Pot by cooking on high pressure for one minute, then naturally releasing for 15.
Let's talk toppings and mix ins for quinoa breakfast bowls!ย Like oatmeal, the sky's the limit with this quinoa breakfast meal prep. I always sweeten with some maple syrup, about 1-2 tablespoons per batch. You can add more or less, depending on your preference.
- Nuts- for this recipe I used sliced almonds, but walnuts, pecans, macadamia nut would probably be great in here.
- Seeds- sunflower, pumpkin, hemp or chia seeds are all great options
- Berries- pretty much any berry would do! I like to add in frozen berries and let them thaw on the quinoa overnight. Then you get those yummy berry juices mixing into your quinoa, plus it's cheaper to buy frozen.
- Apples- you can mix in some unsweetened applesauce after cooking, and you can even cook some peeled and chopped apples into the quinoa while it cooks.
- Pumpkin- I haven't tried but fully plan on stirring some pumpkin puree into my quinoa breakfast meal preps in the fall! Add some pumpkin pie spice and it's going to taste like heaven!
- Peanut Butter- I like drizzling some natural PB on top of my breakfast quinoa just before serving.
Do you eat this breakfast quinoa hot or cold?ย You can really go either way. Served cold, I top it up with almond milk and it's kind of like a bowl of cereal (but much healthier for you!). You can also warm it up and enjoy it more like steel cut oats. Add as much or as little almond milk as you'd like before re-heating.
How long does this quinoa breakfast meal prep last? I store it for 4 days in the fridge. But guess what? It also happens to be freezer friendly, so if you want to prep a really big batch, you could portion it out and freeze for long term, thawing portions as needed.
How can I make this breakfast quinoa more filling?ย To up the protein factor and make this more filling, you can add some protein powder, a dollop of greek yogurt, or a drizzle of nut butter.
I stored my quinoa in 1 cup jars, which was perfect for a portion of quinoa, but there wasn't much space for berries. If you'd like to portion out a full serving of berries (I use a full cup), I recommend these glass storage containers. They are microwave and freezer safe!
To reheat, simply add a bit more almond milk, stir it all up, heat for a minute or so on 80% so it is lightly heated. And enjoy!
I love that you can just grab these out of the fridge and take them with you, so if you are in a serious rush, you still get to eat a nutritious breakfast.
OK friends! That's it for today.
Looking for more easy meal prep breakfast recipes?
- try theseย Healthy Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
- or theseย 7 Healthy Breakfast Egg Muffins
- or theseย No Flipping Meal Prep Protein Pancakes
- or check out this round up with more than 36 Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
Watch the video belowย to see exactly how I prepped my Quinoa Breakfast Meal Prep on the stove top. Itโs so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on myย YouTube channel, or onย Facebook.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Quinoa Breakfast Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups almond milk * see notes
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 cups mixed berries
- 4 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, almond milk, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 or so minutes, until the quinoa is cooked through.
- Cool quinoa. Stir in the maple syrup, and divide into four containers: ยพ cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup fruit, 1 tablespoon sliced almonds.
- Instant Pot- use water in place of almond milk. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Allow Instant Pot to naturally release.ย
- Rice Cooker- use water in place of almond milk. Use the 'white rice' setting if there is one on your rice cooker.
Storage
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Serve warm or cold.
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Nutrition Information
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Hdar says
Quick question: I'm pre-daibetic, so I don't use any natural sweeteners. I use xylitol instead. How much do I need as an equivalent amount to the maple syrup?
Denise Bustard says
Hello! Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with xylitol and cannot answer this question. Hopefully, another reader can chime in and help.
Jacky says
Making this tomorrow for the week! Iโm confused about when to add the protein powder, though. Would you add a few scoops during cooking or 1 scoop when youโre reheating each individual serving?
Denise says
Hi Jacky! I haven't actually tried, but would probably stir it in after cooking or reheating. I hope you enjoy!
Walker says
What kind of quinoa should be used? Would tricolored quinoa work?
Denise says
Hey Walker! You can use any quinoa for this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Jessica Ryan says
This was a winner! I am not the biggest fan of quinoa, but it was so good! I loved the cardamon flavor and the sweetness of the maple syrup. Thank you for sharing!
Denise says
I'm so glad to hear that, Jessica! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment ๐
Jeremy Bollingmoore says
Was just wondering is it okay to use Soy Milk instead of Almond Milk? ?
Denise says
Hi Jeremy! I haven't tried but I don't think that would be a problem at all. Hope you enjoy!
Tiffany says
Just wondering where the 28 g of protein comes from? I'm always looking for high protein breakfast meal prep recipes, but 3/4 cup quinoa cooked only has ~6 g protein, almond milk none and the almonds themselves very little as well in that amount...just wondering ๐
Denise says
Hi Tiffany, I just put the recipe back through My Fitness Pal and got 13 g of protein...sometimes one ingredient will be off, and it can be hard to catch. Thanks for the heads up! Here's my nutritional disclaimer: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/nutritional-disclaimer
Monica says
Why "not unsweetened almond milk"?
Denise says
I found that it needed that extra sweetness from the regular almond milk. You could always use unsweetened then add a bit more maple syrup, though!
Paula says
I was going to ask the same thing as I am watching my sugar intake and I like the Unsweetened Almond Milk better anyway. I just found this site and signed up for the Lunch Prep challenge. So excited to get started.
Denise says
Absolutely, if you use unsweetened, you may wish to adjust the maple syrup. I hope you enjoy, Paula and look forward to having you in our challenge!
Trac | Vanilla And Bean says
What a fantastic challenge, Denise! I'm with you on a make ahead breakfast. Mornings are so dang full, it's nice to know there's one thing already taken care of. Also, having a nourishing breakfast on the ready means I don't grab something not so good for me to get the day going. I love these little grab n' go breakfasts!
Zainab says
I had to go join the FB community immediately...I need breakfast help!! So sign me up for this challenge and I'll pin this and any other make ahead breakfast recipes. Love!!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
I love the idea of a make-ahead breakfast challenge! Eating a good breakfast is so important because it often encourages better choices the rest of the day.
As much as I love quinoa, I've never tried it for breakfast. I don't know why. It has such a delicious nutty flavor that would be great with berries and almond milk. I need to try this soon!
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
OK, you've got me thinking about quinoa for breakfast. I've never been a big fan of quinoa as a pasta substitute, but I might really like it as an oatmeal substitute. I have all the ingredients in my pantry, minus the cardamom, since I'm allergic. I'm giving this a try!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
I love these make ahead breakfasts, Denise! I've never made quinoa for breakfast but it sounds so delicious. Definitely giving this a go ๐
Medha says
These jars are adorable and I love that you used quinoa in place of oats- the jars are perfect little portions and those berries look delish ๐
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Breakfast is my favorite meal, and I'm a savory girl like you, but I will always make room for a little sweet in my life.. especially if it looks like this!! LOVE this riff on oatmeal, girlfriend! I'm a huge fan of quinoa, but haven't tried it in breakfast form like this! Can't wait to try it!! Cheers! ๐
marcie says
I love make ahead breakfasts because I'm so lazy, and quinoa is just delicious in place of oatmeal! I haven't made breakfast quinoa in so long and really need to get on these!
Manali@CookWithManali says
I love make ahead breakfast ideas like this! Sounds delicious and healthy too!