Oats, Quinoa And Almonds Breakfast Bowl With Plum Sauce

Breakfast is an area I have neglected on the blog. I seem to have shared just a couple of my favorites with you guys. On days when we are not having a traditional South Indian breakfast, a quick egg sandwich or a fancy fruity pancake, I resort to a bowl of cereal. Cheerios it is for me then!

There’s nothing wrong with cereal, except for the more than necessary amount of sugar and meager amount of fiber it offers. But with just a bit of planning and foresight on the previous evening, you can wake up to  a delicious, filling and healthy bowl of homemade cereal.

This recipe uses the super-food duo – oats and quinoa. Even if you do not like quinoa or think you will never like it, this is the recipe to start including quinoa in your diet.

You begin by adding rolled oats and a spoonful of basil seeds or sabja (or even chia seeds) to a bowl. Top with a little bit of cooked quinoa and your favorite milk. I used almond milk because its nutty flavor goes so well in this breakfast bowl. You can also use soy, coconut, cashew or rice milk or even regular cow’s milk. This is then stashed in the refrigerator overnight and in the morning you will wake up to a creamy bowl of oats and quinoa.

It could do with a bit of sweetening though. And there’s nothing better than using your favorite fruit. I would have normally tossed in a handful of berries, but I had some organic red plums on hand.

Red plums are more tart than their black counterpart and unless you particularly enjoy that sharp tartness, it is helpful to make it into a quick compote or sauce.

I have told you earlier about my latest obsession of turning any and every fruit into a quick sauce to be drizzled over cereal or even toasted bread. I actually used rose syrup to slightly sweeten the plums. They still retain much of their tartness, but the simple act of breaking down the fruit and flavoring it with cardamom and a bit of rose syrup tames it wonderfully.

I rather enjoyed this red plum sauce and it was the perfect thing to top my overnight oats and quinoa bowl with. Toss in some almonds right before serving and you have a healthy breakfast bowl first thing in the morning. You can have it cold or warmed up slightly before eating.

OATS, QUINOA AND ALMONDS BREAKFAST BOWL WITH PLUM SAUCE

You will need: (Makes a small jar of plum sauce and 2 generous breakfast cereal bowls)

For the plum sauce,

• Red plums – 3, pitted and chopped
• Water – 1/2 cup
• Rose syrup – 2-3 tbsp (can also use sugar or honey as per sweetness desired)
• Cardamom powder – a pinch
• Salt – a small pinch

For the breakfast cereal bowl,

• Rolled oats – 1 cup
• Cooked quinoa – 1/2 – 2/3 cup
• Sabja or basil seeds – 4 tsp (or replace with chia seeds)
• Almond milk – 3 cups
• Almonds – a small handful
• Red plum sauce – 2 tbsp (can be replaced with your favorite sweetener)

How to:

• Red Plum Sauce: Add all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer till fruit is softened and sauce thickens slightly. Transfer to a clean glass jar or lidded container, allow to cool completely, cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate till needed. Keeps well for up to a week.
• Breakfast Cereal Bowl: Take two cereal bowls or mason jars and divide the oats, cooked quinoa and basil seeds equally among them. Add almond milk to comfortably submerge the ingredients and then some more. The cereal will swell while resting overnight, so add a bit more milk than you think is necessary.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4-6 hours. Just before serving, give a quick stir, top with almonds and 1 tbsp of red plum sauce. If you do not have fresh fruits or fruit sauce, sweeten the cereal bowl with a bit of brown sugar or honey. Serve chilled or slightly warmed up in the microwave.

Notes:

• I used quinoa leftover from using in another recipe. To cook quinoa, boil double the amount of water, add washed quinoa and salt and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Rest for 5 more minutes and fluff with a fork. Read more on how to cook fluffy, perfect quinoa every time.
• Rolled oats give the perfect creaminess and slight chewiness that I love. You can use instant cooking oats too if that’s all you have in your pantry.
• Top the breakfast bowl with your favorite chopped fruits like apples and bananas or fresh summer berries. Or simply swirl in a spoonful of homemade jam. Yum!

I loved the creaminess the rolled oats and quinoa give this breakfast bowl. It was perfect paired with the almond milk and almonds on top. And the plum sauce was the best thing to sweeten it with.

This is the perfect recipe to try in a mason jar. If you have a tight-fitting lid, you can just grab the jar and have an instant breakfast on-the-go! Do give it a try sometime.

Tell me, have you made overnight oats or other cereal? What is your favorite combo? How do you top your cereal? Do share.

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