Since the house we’re renting is now up for sale, Ben and I randomly need to leave our home so that potential buyers came come invade our space visit the house.

This past weekend, Ben and I decided on a beach day to get out of the house.  After the beach, we still had time to kill, so we headed to Costco.  Costco is our favorite place to kill time because 1) they have samples, 2) they always have new, fun stuff to look at, and 3) their book and DVD section rocks.

Ben decided on the paperback version of Born to Run (I lent our hardcover to a friend and we haven’t gotten it back yet) and I decided on this gem:

I couldn’t put this Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood book down in the store, so I decided I had to bring it home.  I know, I get so excited about the most random things.  Upon returning home, I tabbed about 5 recipes in the first 12 pages and then had to stop myself.

The recipe I wanted to try most? Quinoa Breakfast Pudding!  (I think it’s actually titled Raisin Pudding Breakfast Quinoa).

The pudding is based on a rice pudding, but the nutritional profile is bumped up by using quinoa instead.  Since there’s egg in the mix, and not much sugar, I figured it was a great balanced breakfast!  This kept me full for hours and was the perfect warm breakfast on a chilly 70 degree morning .

This recipe is simple, with just a few ingredients, and the 30 minutes or so that it takes to cook is so worth the leftovers! The authors of the book say that you can make this as a dessert dish by adding more sugar… and since I love any kind of pudding (rice/bread/quinoa), I think I’ll be doing that soon, too.

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Quinoa Breakfast Pudding

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[Ingredients]

• 1 c dry quinoa
• 2 1/2 c almond milk (or dairy milk)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3-4 Tbsp raisins
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 3/4 Tbsp Earth Balance or butter

Combine quinoa, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and raisins in a medium saucepan, and cover.

Bring mixture a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook until the quinoa has absorbed most of the milk (5-10 minutes).

In the meantime, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.

Temper the eggs by adding 7 teaspoons of the quinoa mixture to the eggs one teaspoon at a time.

Once you’ve tempered the eggs, stir the egg mixture into your saucepan.

Cook on low heat until the pudding is thick and creamy (about 5 minutes).

Stir in the butter and remove from heat.

Enjoy! Makes four hearty servings.

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Enjoy your Thursday, friends!  Make today great!!

Are you as big a fan of quinoa [or puddings] as I am?

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please subscribe to Green Plate Dinners to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!