Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls are filling, full of protein and a great alternative to oatmeal! You’ll love the sweet berry and Greek yogurt topping!

Thanks to my friends at American Dairy Association Mideast for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. 

I’ve been really into making quinoa for breakfast lately instead of oatmeal. The first time I tried replacing oats with quinoa for breakfast was last fall when I made these Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Breakfast Bowls. It was so filling and I loved the texture of the quinoa. I decided I need a summer version and nothing says summer like these Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls!

Preparing quinoa for breakfast is very similar to how you prepare oatmeal, but it does require a little extra cooking time. However, you can cook it ahead of time to have on hand throughout the week. 

The quinoa can be cooked in water or milk. I prefer to cook mine in milk because it gives it a creamier consistency. That’s also how I prefer to cook my oatmeal. On top of the creamier consistency you’ll also be getting the added health benefits of dairy, which I’ll tell you more about below. But first, let’s talk about the amazing toppings for these quinoa breakfast bowls!

Some people like to add extra milk to their breakfast quinoa or oatmeal, I however prefer Greek yogurt. I love the thick, creaminess it gives the quinoa. It’s almost pudding consistency. I like to use plain Greek yogurt so I can sweeten it myself. Flavored yogurt tends to have way more sugar added in than necessary. 

Along with the Greek yogurt I also topped the quinoa with my favorite berries. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Whatever berry or berries you like or can find will be delicious! For a little crunch there’s toasted slivered almonds and the final flourish is a drizzle of almond butter. A bowl of this breakfast quinoa packs in 24 grams of protein and is sure to keep you going until lunch!

Now that you’ve got the scoop on these tasty berry quinoa breakfast bowls let’s talk about dairy, why I love and why I think it’s an important part of a healthy diet.

June is dairy month and not only is it a great time to add extra dairy to your daily routine, but also to recognize the amazing farmers who work so hard to get it onto your table. Several years ago, thanks to ADA Mideast, I had the opportunity to visit several dairy farms in Ohio. 

One of the most memorable experiences during the trip was visiting the Indoe family farm in Lodi, Ohio. Compared to some dairy farms, it’s on the small side, but that just made the visit more personable and gave me more respect for the hard work they put in every single day.

It was here in their Milking Parlor that I had my first experience milking a cow. It was something I’ll never forget and ended up being a lot harder to do than I thought it would be. Machines do the work now, but there is still so much to be done to ensure everything runs smoothly and the end product is high-quality and safe for consumers. 

As far as the health benefits of dairy, there are many. Experts recommend 3 servings of low fat or fat-free dairy foods such as milk, cheese or yogurt—every day.

The berry quinoa breakfast bowls use milk to cook the quinoa. Not only are you getting calcium, but one serving of milk provides 8 grams of high-quality protein and a powerful package of 9 essential nutrients.

The Greek yogurt topping is another excellent way to get in extra dairy. Greek yogurt is high in protein, which will help keep you fuller longer, and it also contains dairy’s 9 essential nutrients. Six ounces of Greek yogurt typically contains 14–17 grams of protein.

Starting your morning with a balanced breakfast containing both protein and carbs will not only energize your body and mind, but also keep you from snacking all morning long. These berry quinoa breakfast bowls definitely fit the bill and they’re pretty darn tasty too!

Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup low fat milk
• Pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
• Almond butter for drizzling on top (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. When the milk is simmering add in the quinoa and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Bring the quinoa to a gentle boil then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes then stir in a tablespoon of the maple syrup and the cinnamon. Cover with the lid and cook for another 10 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed most of the milk and is tender. Check the quinoa occasionally and stir. If it starts to get too dry add in additional milk.
3. Stir together the Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of maple syrup and a splash of vanilla extract.
4. Divide the cooked quinoa into 2 bowls. Top each with half of the Greek yogurt, berries and almonds. Drizzle with almond butter if desired.

Notes

• Heat the milk slowly and stir frequently to prevent it from scorching

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 376 Total Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 12mg Sodium: 99mg Carbohydrates: 55g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 23g Protein: 24g

To meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, learn more about how farmers care for their cows and follow milk’s journey from farm to fridge, visit Drink-Milk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.