Turn leftover quinoa into a protein-packed breakfast with this simple, seasonal apple cinnamon overnight quinoa recipe.Β It’s similar to overnight oats but made with quinoa and absolutely delicious!
Quinoa for breakfast?!? Itβs a good thing, I promise! Iβve actually made quinoa overnight oats with quinoa flourΒ before, but hadnβt ever tried making a version with plain quinoa.
I’ve thought about making overnight quinoaΒ many times because we pretty much always have cookedΒ quinoa in the fridge.Β The only reason I waited so long to try my hand at itΒ is because I was a little worried that unlike rolled oats, the cooked quinoa wouldnβt absorb much of the liquid and that Iβd wake up to itty quinoa bits floating in almond milk. Although now that I think about it, that wouldnβt be a bad thing β just more like quinoa cereal and not what I was going for.
To make sure much of the almond milkΒ did get absorbed I added some chia seeds and protein powder to the mix. TheyΒ worked perfectly and also giveΒ the breakfast an added boost of nutrition.Β If you like chia seed pudding youβll like overnight quinoa because the texture if very similar.
Since itβs apple season I decided to make an apple cinnamon version with chopped apple chunks, a hefty sprinkle of cinnamon and vanilla. It’s basically the perfect breakfast option for August and September when youβre craving fall flavors, but itβs still too warm out for stove-top oats and/or cooked quinoa flakes. <– I don’t know about you but I’m not a huge fan of sweating while I eat breakfast. π
As you probably noticed, the quinoa in the photosΒ is a lovely shade of red. Thatβs because I used Ancient HarvestβsΒ Organic Inca Red Quinoa. Red and white quinoa are nutritionally the same, but Iβve found that red seems a bit more firm, holds its shape better and takes a bit longer to cook. Itβs also really pretty β especially in quinoa parfaits or salads.
Use leftover cooked quinoa to make a healthy, portable breakfast! Studded with fresh apple chunks and spiced with ground cinnamon, this overnight quinoa is tasty, gluten-free and vegan.
2–3 drops liquid stevia or 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a container and stir to combine. Cover and let sit in the fridge at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
Remove from fridge, give the mixture a stir and enjoy!
Notes
I used liquid vanilla stevia to sweeten up the mixture a bit. Maple syrup or another natural sweetener would work well too.
Category:Breakfast
Method:No Cook
Cuisine:American
Nutrition
Serving Size:1
Calories:336
Sugar:9g
Sodium:242mg
Fat:9g
Saturated Fat:1g
Carbohydrates:49g
Fiber:14g
Protein:15g
Cholesterol:0mg
Keywords: apple cinnamon quinoa, breakfast quinoa
Have you tried red or black quinoa before? Did you notice any difference in the texture or cooking time?Β I keep saying I’m not ready for fall but this post really makes me want to go apple picking! Anyone else?
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Had this for breakfast this morning, and am sorry to say that we were disappointed in it. It came out very runny, and did not have much apple flavor. I think I’ll be going back to oatsβ¦
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I love this so much! And I love using red or try-color quinoa too. I am pinning this to make later π
Great use of leftover quinoa! Great idea to add the chia seeds and protein powder. This is definitely a protein packed way to start your day!
Had this for breakfast this morning, and am sorry to say that we were disappointed in it. It came out very runny, and did not have much apple flavor. I think I’ll be going back to oatsβ¦
Oh yes! Love the idea of using quinoa instead of oats!
Next time I have apples on hand, this is happening!
Woo-hoo! Let me know how it turns out. π
Love this so much! Such a great way to get a little extra protein in instead of the usual overnight oats. Pinning!
Thanks Meg!
Hah! I was excited when I saw this recipe on your blog…because I posted almost the exact same recipe on my blog today too. π Great minds think alike! http://www.theseasonedmom.com/overnight-apple-crisp-breakfast-parfait/
i never thought of quinoa as my breakfast item. thank you for sharing this π
I felt the same way for the longest time! π
I’ve had red quinoa before and I agree it is firmer and less mushy when cooked. Nice looking breakfast there!
This sounds so delicious! I’ve been looking for some overnight oat type recipes, and this one is perfect!! Thanks for sharing!
My husband would go crazy for this! He loves apples and quinoa!!
Yay! Please make it for him.