The familiar rip of the instant oatmeal package each morning is probably only comforting up until the fourth consecutive week you hear it. It’s easy to fall into a pattern, especially on dreary winter mornings. Oatmeal cooks quickly, it’s hot, and it’s hearty. But let’s be honest: it’s bland. And you are what you eat, and you don’t want to be bland, do you?

There’s no better day than Sunday to escape the oatmeal rut and the associated life of blandness. You can wake up and have a leisurely morning while making something just as delicious and even more filling and nutritious.

Mixed with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, quinoa becomes a whole new experience. No longer is it the tasteless salad-topper you expect; instead, it’s now a protein-packed, gluten-free vehicle for soft, cinnamon apples and drizzly peanut butter. Take that, oatmeal. This is how you really start a Sunday.

Easy

Prep Time: 3 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 18 mins

Servings: 1

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
1 Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon + a sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Splash of almond milk, if desired

Directions:

1. In a fine mesh colander, rinse quinoa. Then bring quinoa, water, and salt to a boil over high heat.

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

 

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

2. While waiting for water to boil, melt butter in a small saucepan and chop apple.

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

3. Once water is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all water.

4. Meanwhile, heat apples and sprinkle of cinnamon in the buttered pan over medium heat until apples soften, for about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

5. Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork. In serving bowl, mix quinoa with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cooked apples.

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

6. Melt peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and drizzle over quinoa and apple mixture.

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang

7. Top with a splash of almond milk, if desired, and dig in!

Quinoa

Photo by Sally Zhang