Quinoa breakfast porridge

This Quinoa breakfast porridge is made in the Instant Pot. It is creamy and has natural sweeteners and is perfect for a quick breakfast!

I started to research making this porridge when I wanted to make a quinoa porridge for my son as he was starting to eat solids. My inspiration came from recipes I had seen online and my own Amaranth Porridge. I also had experience with quinoa before for savoury dishes. Therefore, though I knew this recipe could be done on the stove, I wanted a way to make it that required minimal effort and came out perfect every time.

By using quinoa as the main ingredient in this breakfast, this recipe is high in fibre, protein and antioxidants. I therefore like knowing that my family is eating something nutritious at the start of their day.

This recipe is sweetened by the toppings that you choose to put on it. This porridge can be sweetened with a ripe banana, dried mulberries or maple syrup. I prefer using a ripe banana and dried mulberries because it introduces more fibre and fruits into the porridge.

Quinoa breakfast porridge Video

Here is the video of me preparing this porridge for my family:

Tips for making Quinoa breakfast porridge

1. Using the instant pot is easier than cooking the quinoa on the stove. When I tried to cook the porridge on the stove, it required stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom and adding liquid. Meanwhile, the InstantPot can be set and left until the porridge is done.
2. Depending on your preference, the liquid used to cook the porridge can be changed. I have tried almond milk but I imagine using cashew or coconut milk could be nice as well. Using whole milk as the only liquid will give the most creamy porridge.
3. Additions that can be added to the porridge are:
   • mashed banana
   • dried white mulberries
   • cocoa nibs
   • hemp hearts
   • pumpkin seeds
   • sunflower seeds
   • extra milk depending on how you prefer the consistency of your porridge

Tips for making Quinoa breakfast porridge suitable for Baby Led Weaning

1. The amount of good fat that you can include in babies meals will help in the development of their brain and body. Therefore I prefer to use whole milk and I add unsalted butter to make the porridge extra rich and creamy.
2. To add sweetness to the porridge, I use mashed banana.
3. Adding tahini (sesame seed paste) and smooth unsalted peanut butter helps to expose your baby to allergenic foods regularly.
4. To expose baby to the tree nut allergen, I like to add almond milk for up to half of the cooking liquid. If this is done, I recommend not giving any other allergens like dairy, tahini or peanut butter with the porridge unless you know that your baby is not allergic to these.

How long does the quinoa porridge keep in the fridge?

The porridge keeps in the fridge for 5 days.

Quinoa breakfast porridge Recipe

The ingredients you will need are:

1 cup quinoa

2 cup whole milk (you can also use other milks in this recipe – I have tried almond milk. If another milk is used in addition to whole milk, be sure that the total amount of milk is 2 cups).

1 cup water

1 teaspoon sweet cinnamon (this is optional but I recommend adding it as it gives a lovely taste and flavour to the porridge)

How to make this Quinoa porridge

1. To the instant pot, add the quinoa.

2. Then add the liquid – i.e. : milk and water. I chose to use whole milk and almond milk so this is what I am adding to the Instant Pot at this stage.

3. Then add the sweet cinnamon.

4. Use a whisk or spatula to mix the ingredients together and scrape down the sides of the Instant Pot.

5. Put on the lid of the Instant Pot and close it. Then set your Instant pot on High Pressure for 12 minutes on High.

6. Then allow for natural release for 10 minutes then do a quick release of the pressure.

7. When you’ve taken the lid off, stir the porridge and serve while hot. The consistency of the porridge should be that when you run the spatula through it, there remains a space in the porridge.

Tools you may need:

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Instant Pot

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

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