Having never sprouted before, I started my first experiment with a full cup of raw quinoa, expecting it to behave much like seeds; Some would sprout and flourish while others remain dormant, so there should definitely be more than seems necessary. Oh, how wrong I was. That scant cup quickly doubled in volume, and even after digging deep and using a good amount of them to make my bread, the jar appeared to be bottomless. Saying that there was a fair amount of extra sprouts would be an understatement, and it wasn’t immediately clear what I should do with them. Eaten as is, they’re a bit crunchier than your average cooked grain, so while they provide a good bit of textural contrast in a cold salad, they’re a bit tough to stomach first thing in the morning. That’s why I went the route of actually cooking my sprouted quinoa and making a hot breakfast cereal.
Any raw-foodists out there are probably up in arms by now, but hear me out- Despite the suffocatingly warm weather, a warm and comforting morning meal is still a nice thing to wake up to on those clammy, humid mornings. You could certainly just soak the sprouts in soymilk overnight to keep things cold and raw, but for people who are on the go and don’t plan ahead, this method takes a mere 5 or 6 minutes.
You don’t need a recipe for this one, as it’s dead simple. Just take about equal parts quinoa sprouts and soymilk and cook them over medium heat for just 5 – 6 minutes, until softened, expanded, and a good bit of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in a bit of maple syrup / brown sugar / molasses to taste along with your favorite spice(s) and some dried or fresh fruit. Done! I chose to mix up some cinnamon and crystallized ginger in mine and top it off with fresh cherries and a drizzle of maple syrup.