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.
It’s never too warm out for a warm breakfast. =)
I love cooked breakfast cereals. . . and who says we have to eat all our sprouts raw? This looks perfect for any morning!
Nice! Resourceful and creative. I like it! :) Plus, it sounds yummie.
Great idea! And I *love* that bowl!
I may be 75% raw, but I still enjoy my hot oatmeal breakfasts with pride :0)
This looks totally awesome. I love hot breakfasts :)
That looks awesome!! I’d love to try it sprouted and soaked (raw).
This looks fantastic – what a great idea…I love hot breakfast, it’s just so comfy :)
The cherries look like a fabulous accompaniment.
This looks so yummy! Now I really want to sprout my own grains!
Interesting how they doubled in size and you had sprouted quinoa galore.
I learn something new everyday :)
How cool! Looks delish.
Delicious and healthy! I pretty much always eat hot breakfast, maybe I’ll try this one…
oh my goodness! i wish had that for breakfast this morning – it looks so tasty and wholesome and gooooooooood!
mmmm definitely going to try it!!!
this sounds delicious — i wanna sprout some quinoa too now so i can copy your genius self!
such an creative idea Hannah. TFS! Sprouts for breakfast just can’t imagine :)
OH man! I love quinoa, and on a rare occassion I crave a breakfast something..like cereal, but want a more granola-y type thing. This seems like a perfect crossbreed between cereal, oatmeal, and granola (with the addition of some crunchiness, that is). And I don’t have to commit to an entire box of cereal!
Oh, I wish that we could get quinoa over here in Kyoto. I have never seen it here.
I too, must have hot oatmeal for breakfast. This looks wonderful.
So the spouts and soymilk go well together? I can’t quite get my head around this one, but I want to try it!
KyotoFoodieのPeko
wow… I’ve never tried to sprout the quinoa… it’s a staple in our house for stir-fry base instead of rice.
The breakfast option looks delish.
~Dan
http://jazzsick.wordpress.com/
I am SO impressed that you sprouted your own quinoa!!