Pina Colada Protein Breakfast Quinoa

Last night I was pondering this morning’s breakfast. That’s what you do when you love food like I do, you think about breakfast the day before. I wanted overnight oats, but my lack of Greek yogurt put the kibosh on that one. I did, however, have quinoa, and some pineapple juice I needed to get rid of, plus I knew I had coconut-flavored protein powder! Win-win. If you don’t have coconut-flavored protein powder, replace the cashew milk with coconut milk.

Pina Colada Protein Breakfast Quinoa

• 1 single-serve can 100% pineapple juice (I used 250 ml Dole)
• 1/4 c. water
• 60g dried apricots, diced small (use dried pineapple to boost pineapple flavor, I just didn’t have any)
• 100g quinoa, rinsed
• 1 1/2 scoops coconut-flavored protein powder (I used 94g Isopure Low Carb Toasted Coconut)
• 3 oz. cashew milk (I used Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk)
• 21g raw sunflower seeds

Directions

In a small saucepan, add pineapple juice, water, rinsed quinoa and apricots. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, whisk together protein powder and cashew milk to form a paste (it should fall off your whisk in a ribbon) and set aside.

In a small pan over low heat, gently toast sunflower seeds until just brown. Don’t walk away from these, they can scorch in seconds!

Divide quinoa into 3 bowls. Drizzle the protein mixture evenly between the three bowls and sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top.

Top with fresh pineapple and shredded coconut if you have it, I didn’t, but it would be AMAZING with those extra toppings.

Each bowl is fewer than 350 calories and packs a whopping 30 grams of meat-free protein!

Do you ever eat quinoa for breakfast? Let me know in the comments!