It can be pretty hard to drag yourself out of bed on a weekday to make a good breakfast. But to combat laziness, make a several-serving recipe early in the week, then reheat individual portions in the microwave before heading out to greet the day. This quinoa breakfast bake is a perfect example. Mix the flavors up by adding whichever fruit and nuts you like best.
Quinoa Breakfast Bake
Recipe by: Katie at the Kitchen Door
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ready in: less than 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 eggs
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups frozen berries
1 apple or pear, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan, and set aside.
2.In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, cinnamon, and allspice to coat quinoa with spices. Pour quinoa over bottom of prepared pan.
3. In the same bowl used for quinoa, beat eggs until fully mixed. Whisk in the maple syrup and skim milk, and beat to combine.
Scatter berries, apple or pear, and nuts (if desired) evenly on top of quinoa.
4. Pour egg and milk mixture over top of fruit and quinoa. Lightly stir to partially submerge fruit. (Milk mixture will cook quinoa to create a very soft texture on the inside while creating a lightly crunchy crust on the outside.)
5. Bake for 1 hour, or until casserole is mostly set with only a small amount of liquid left. Serve warm, and refrigerate leftovers.
