Fruited Breakfast Quinoa

Adapted from The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that help you fight back by Neal Barnard, MD and Jennifer Reilly, RD

Quinoa is technically a seed, but used as a grain.  It has a bitter resin-like coating, saponin, that must be rinsed off thoroughly before cooking.  I use a very fine mesh strainer to do this. Barnard's book suggests covering the quinoa with water in a mixing bowl and rub it between the palms of your hands.  Pour off the cloudy liquid through a strainer.  Repeat two or three more times until the rinse water remains clear.

I used the basic idea of this recipe, but mixed the non-dairy milk with water.

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla rice or soy milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

mixture of raisins, dried cranberries, apricots and/or
 mango, to taste
1/4 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

1) Combine the rice or soy milk and quinoa in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a gentle simmer.  COver and cook for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is tender.  I like to leave it just a little crunchy.

2) Stir in the fruit and vanilla extract.  Cover and cook for 2 more minutes.  Serve warm or chilled.

3) Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover fruited quinoa will keep for up to 3 days.