This Funfetti Breakfast Quinoa is quick, easy, and tastes like a bowl of cake!
Funfetti quinoa. For breakfast. This is not a drill.
If you think mornings are for boring, sensible meals, I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be like that. This big ol’ bowl of creamy, lightly sweet, vanilla-scented quinoa tastes like cake and is covered in colorful sprinkles. There’s nothing boring about that! It’s like your childhood birthday party and your healthy adulting life had a breakfast baby. And somehow, it actually works. One bite in, and suddenly, life just feels a little more balanced—like maybe the chaos of the week was worth it because now you get to eat this.
Speaking of balance, I’m currently stuffing my entire life into cardboard boxes because my husband just landed his dream job working in the cardiac ICU. This means more nights of him coming home saying things like, “Babe, this patient went code rainbow!” (not real, but dramatic for storytelling purposes), while I counter with, “I made the best gluten-free cupcakes!” Hey, we all have our roles, right?
Between the packing tape, the chaos of moving, and the inevitable moment when I realize I packed away all the kitchen essentials except for the one thing I need, this funfetti quinoa is keeping me sane. It’s quick, it’s comforting, and most importantly, it’s covered in sprinkles. And sprinkles are never a bad idea.
Is Funfetti Breakfast Quinoa Healthy?
“Healthy” is a relative term, but this recipe has plenty of healthy qualities. And it tastes good enough to satisfy a sweet craving while you’re at it! Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and loaded with protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron. You also get protein from the protein powder “frosting” made by mixing the powder with unsweetened almond milk. And since this recipe calls for the zero-calorie sweetener of your choosing, it keeps the sugar levels in check. The only place you’ll find added sugar is the sprinkles, which consist of a mix of sugar, wax, cornstarch, and corn syrup.
Quinoa Is An Ancient MVP
Quinoa might have you fooled. It happens to the best of us. While it might look like a grain, cook like a grain, get classified as a grain, and get stocked on store shelves next to the grains, quinoa is not really a grain. It’s technically a seed.
And this little seed has a long-standing history. Quinoa was a staple food of the indigenous people of Peru and Bolivia. It’s believed that it was domesticated and cultivated between 3000 and 5000 BCE. Funny enough, the ancient Incan people called quinoa chisaya mama, meaning “mother of grains.” It seems the classification debate goes back quite a ways!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Your quinoa will keep for about 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Try not to store it with the sprinkles on top; their color can bleed into the frosting, and they can lose their appealing crunch.
Serving Suggestions
Apart from the frosting, this breakfast quinoa would be delicious with a dollop of homemade Almond Butter or Cashew Butter on top. Pair it with an Iced Latte or some Sugar-Free Blueberry Muffins for a breakfast that’s guaranteed to turn you into a morning person.
Ingredients
For The Quinoa:
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk plus additional for serving
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 4 tablespoons zero-calorie sweetener of choice divided
For The Protein Frosting:
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
- 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring the 2 cups of almond milk to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the quinoa and 2 tablespoons of your sweetener. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until most of the milk is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.
- Once the quinoa is cooked, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sweetener and divide the quinoa between 4 bowls.
- In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla protein powder with 3-4 tablespoons of almond milk until it reaches the consistency of frosting.
- Dollop the “frosting” on the bowls of quinoa and cover with sprinkles.
- Pour a little bit of almond milk over top of each bowl and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
*the amount of milk you use will depend on your protein powder, and how thick it is.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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