5 Ingredients or Fewer

Breakfast of Warriors

by: NakedBeet

February 8, 2010

4.5

4 Ratings

Serves 4-8 servings

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Author Notes

After eating steel cuts oats with milk and some jam for a while now, I decided to mix things up. Over a year ago, I re-discovered quinoa and how quick it is to prepare. I'm a huge fan of the red quinoa, preferring its nuttier and sweeter taste and relishing the benefits of its supergrain status. It should come as no surprise that Inca warriors were sustained by "war balls," (quinoa and fat) during their battles. I figured if the Inca warrior could survive marching for days on this, then this would at least give me a great start to my 9-5 job.

Add your favorite mix-ins like soymilk, cranberries, apricots, walnuts, agave syrup, yogurt, and (for TJ’s fans) more exotic flavors like dried mango, papaya, and banana or apple chips, and you've got a super powerhouse breakfast.

There are various ways of cooking steel cut oatmeal in order to make it less time consuming to cook in the morning. I know some people like to partially pre-cook it the night before by soaking it (haven’t tried this method.) I find it just as easy to cook a batch large enough to last for four days, simply keep it refrigerated, and reheat a portion in the morning. It keeps just fine if you eat it within a week, which is never a problem if you love it and have it daily. I recommend cooking the quinoa and oatmeal separately (because they finish at different times) and then combining them once they’re done. —NakedBeet

What You'll Need

Ingredients

Red Quinoa
2 cups water
¹/₃ cup quinoa

Steel Cut Oatmeal
4-5 cups water
1 cup steel cut oats

Directions

Before you cook either red or yellow quinoa, soak it in cold water to get rid of the dust and alleviate some of the bitterness. As quinoa is such a fine grain, it will stick easily to a pan. I find it convenient to put the portion in a fine mesh colander and then put the colander into cold water. Once the water runs clear, you can cook your quinoa. It will not take very long—about 10-12 minutes.
For the steel cut oats: Let the water come to a boil, add the oatmeal and stir it for 5 minutes. Turn down the heat slightly and let it continue to cook for another 15-25 minutes, depending on your desired level of texture. Combine the cooked oatmeal with the quinoa and add fruit and nuts of your choice. To this version, I added pumpkin seeds, tart cherries, golden raisins and a drizzle of milk.

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7 Reviews

Carmyn A. June 14, 2015

Quinoa is a seed, is not a grain.

AntoniaJames April 1, 2013

To your point on cooking the night before . . . it's quite simple. Bring oats and water to a boil. Let it cook for at least a couple of minutes at a simmer, giving the oats a few good stirs to prevent lumps and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat off and immediately put the lid on. Don't touch it until the morning. It will be fully cooked. Give it a stir and heat on the stove or in the microwave, whichever is easiest. I put raisins and spices in the night before, but of course, you can add them in before reheating in the morning. ;o)

EarlyToBed May 15, 2010

I love breakfast grains--the heartier the better. This looks great. I like to combine my quinoa 50/50 red/white.

crispywaffle February 10, 2010

GREAT idea! The contrast of textures looks great. Can't wait to try it.

NakedBeet February 10, 2010

Thank you both, I hope you like it if you try it. I found some black quinoa in the market the other day, too.

lastnightsdinner February 10, 2010

I love red quinoa for breakfast, and mixing it with steel cut oats and all of those other goodies? Brilliant.

Mettch February 8, 2010

Inspiring! I love that you used quinoa. I will definitely try this soon..