Breakfast Quinoa Bake, with Peanut Butter and Syrup

As a dietitian and a foodie, my friends and clients often share with me their favorite recipes that they believe I might enjoy.  They text me, e-mail me, call me, or personally hand me recipes that they've either tried and loved, or that they think I should try and let them know if they are actually as good as they sound. Last year I met someone very special and worked with him to adapt a healthier diet for his extreme endurance sporting events.  The first time we met he learned that I love to cook and blog, then afterwards he sent me a few of his favorite recipes, including today's recipe.  It took me a while to try it, but boy I'm glad I did!

I modified the recipe a tad, because that's just what I do.  I think I ended up with close to perfection. This was extremely tasty and filling, to say the least.

Breakfast Quinoa Bake

Source: Andrew H.
Gluten Free

Serves 9

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup vanilla soy milk or almond milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. maple syrup 

Peanut butter for topping; ~ 1/2 Tbsp. per serving

Optional: Extra syrup for the top (I used sugar-free) **

** NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPs diet you will be happy to learn that this recipe is free of FODMAPs.  However, if you use sugar-free syrup for the topping like I did, be careful not to use one with sugar alcohols.  If you do, don't use much (maybe 2 Tbsp, max).

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place quinoa in a large mixing bowl.  Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with lightly greased parchment (or just grease your pan and forget the parchment).

2.  In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, soy milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.  Add maple syrup and whisk.

3.  Add egg mixture to cooked and cooled quinoa. Stir with a large spoon to combine.  Pour into baking dish and spread around to ensure that it's even.  

4.  Bake ~20 minutes until set and golden.

5.  Gently remove the bake from the pan as soon as possible so that it doesn't steam (or stick to the pan).  Cool completely on a rack or plate and cut into 9 squares.  Serve with peanut butter and top with syrup, if you'd like.

I stacked the squares for photography purposes.  It just looks better this way, right?

You could eat one square, two squares, or three.

But, the nutrition facts below are for one delicious square.

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1/9th of bake

Includes peanut butter on top

Doesn't include additional syrup

Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Under 150 calories and a good source of protein (although you could have two squares and be just under 300 calories, which in my opinion is a good thing, remember my blog post?  Add some Greek yogurt on top or whey protein and bam, you've got 30 grams of protein!).

I saved the rest of the "Squares" for breakfasts throughout the week. I actually made the following a couple times for breakfast; 1 quinoa bake square, topped with Greek yogurt, frozen berries, PB2 and sugar free maple syrup.  Oh yum.

QUESTION:  What's your favorite fall breakfast?  I remember a couple years ago I went through an oatmeal phase...it lasted 2 years actually!

In other news, I just found out I get to go to Houston for the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in October.  I was there in four years ago and had the time of my life, so I'm pretty excited to have the opportunity to go again. If you will be there, please let me know and we can meet up!

Thanks for reading, and have a great Tuesday.

The Candid Rd