Coffee Almond Quinoa Breakfast Bowl combines coffee and protein—what more could you need?
Energize your morning by combining your favorite coffee with a hearty bowl of protein-rich quinoa. This healthy meal prep recipe combo might initially sound odd, but quinoa is a bit of a blank slate and the flavors do work well together. Plus, this easy-to-make breakfast bowl is filled with nutritious ingredients that will satisfy you without being too heavy. Quinoa, of course, also happens to be gluten-free, and this meal prep recipe is vegan, too. Fresh raspberries add a hit of freshness and sweetness. We like this as a protein-rich alternative to more sugary "cereal" breakfast offerings, and it sticks with us a bit longer than oatmeal does.
Coffee Almond Quinoa Breakfast Bowl Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup coffee
- 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup raspberries
- 2 tablespoon sliced almonds
- Sweetener, as desired
How to Make Coffee Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
This meal prep recipe requires you to have some cooked quinoa on hand, which you can do at any time. You can even cook quinoa and freeze it. Portioning it into 2-cup or other useful increments can make incorporating it into meals such as this breakfast bowl a lot easier. Just defrost it in the microwave or in the refrigerator overnight before using it here.
I bet you were wondering if you cook the quinoa in coffee instead of water . . . that might make the quinoa too bitter! Combine coffee and plant-based milk together and warm it up. Pour the warmed coffee-milk combo over the cooked quinoa. Add in some hemp seeds, and top with raspberries, sliced almonds, and a little sweetener of choice. Maple syrup can stand up to the flavor of coffee really well, but honey is good, and so is agave nectar if you aren't looking for straight-up sugar in your quinoa breakfast bowl.
How to Store Coffee Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Once this is prepped you can keep this in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The longer the milk sits in the quinoa, the thicker it will get. You can prepare this on Sunday and have thicker quinoa during the week, or put the milk on the side and top it off when it's time to eat breakfast. You can also eat this cold or warm it up. If you'd like it to be thinner, add some milk when your reheat it if you'd like it to be thinner.
Due to the nature of the ingredients, we don't recommend longer-term storage like the freezer. It just won't hold up.
Substitutions and Alterations
- This is great with plant-based milk such as soy, hemp, oat (so good with oat!), almond, or cashew milk. Going with coconut milk gives it a tropical vibe and if you're into that, go ahead and ride that vibe. Add some unsweetened shredded coconut on top.
- Use other fruits such as blueberries or strawberries, or even sliced bananas or mango.
- Dried fruit can work, too, but it tends to be sweetened, so if you're watching your consumption of added sugar, keep that in mind.
- Swirl in a tablespoon or so of peanut butter. Sounds crazy, but try it!
- Chopped pecans, pistachios, or walnuts are worthy substitutes for almonds.
Tips for Quinoa
When cooking quinoa, make sure you rinse it several times under cold water. This helps remove some of the bitterness that you might taste after cooking quinoa.
READ MORE: 25 Grab and Go Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas
Coffee Almond Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk can sub sweetened, cream, coconut milk, etc
- ½ cup coffee made as desired
- 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup raspberries**
- 2 tbs sliced almonds
- sweetener as desired
Instructions
- Mix together milk and coffee in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.
- Warm in the microwave or on the stove top over low heat; don't let the milk boil. Add the sweetener, if using.
- Mix together quinoa and hemp seeds in a bowl. Pour the coffee milk over the quinoa and stir a little to combine.
- Top with rapsberries and sliced almonds. Enjoy immediately, or transfer to two meal prep containers and store in the fridge until ready to use. You can eat this cold, warm, or hot.
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