I have such fond memories of making this breakfast pilaf in my sister’s sunny yellow kitchen when I was staying with her last summer. I thought of making it now because it’s a good in-between-weather breakfast: not too wintery like some of my other breakfast recipes and not too summery like this favorite. The pilaf is lovely eaten warm, but could also be enjoyed room temperature. Either way it’s great with almond milk or yogurt.

Today I added dried mulberries instead of golden raisins and topped it with warmed almond milk and plenty of toasted almonds. Eating it this morning was a delicious way to start the weekend!

Orange quinoa breakfast pilaf with cardamom and vanilla

This pilaf can be made with half apple juice for a sweeter breakfast. You can also serve it with maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice. You could add goji berries before cooking and I think it would be nice topped with fresh seasonal berries too.

1 ½ cups quinoa, soaked overnight in 3 cups of filtered water

2 cups fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons golden raisins or dried mulberries

Zest of one orange

1 tablespoon coconut butter or coconut oil

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

6 cardamom pods

2 whole star anise

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod reserved

Pinch of salt

 

To serve;

Chopped toasted almonds

Fresh almond milk or yogurt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drain and rinse quinoa, strain well. Place in a pot, add orange juice, golden raisins or mulberries, orange zest, coconut oil, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, vanilla seeds and pod and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes more. Pick out cardamom pods and fluff with a fork. Serve warm or room temperature with almond milk or yogurt.

Serves 4 to 6.

Printable recipe here

 

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Tags: almond milk, cinnamon, dried mulberries, golden raisins, spring, star anise