I’m plugging right along on the health challenge, and it’s getting both easier and harder in ways. Adding gluten-free grains and lean meats solved my problem with consuming enough calories for breastfeeding, and it’s helping a little with the monotony as well.
In my quest to break up the repetition, I discovered quite a few breakfast quinoa recipes, and there are varieties all over the internet. The version I ended up trying was a welcome break from my smoothies. Filling and warm and tasty.
Breakfast Quinoa
- Boil one cup of almond milk
- Add 1/2 cup of quinoa
- Return to boil and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add teaspoon of sucanat (could use brown sugar), dash of cinnamon, and a handful of raisins
- Cook for 10 minutes longer
- DONE
I did add a splash (maybe 1/4 cup?) of water in the last 5 minutes to make it a bit looser and less gritty, and I decided to throw some coconut on top. This is a flexible idea that you can adapt to anything. I’m thinking maple syrup and pecans would be great, too. Endless possibilities! Quinoa serves up a lot of protein and makes a filling breakfast. I never would have thought to serve it as anything other than a savory side dish if it weren’t for my whole detox plan. If nothing else, I love that this is showing me a few new ideas to add to my usual rotation.
For the most part, I have stuck to my pledge. I think the teaspoon of sucanat is against the rules technically. And of course, I am still hanging on to my morning coffee. But I’ve been truly dairy-free for five whole days, and that’s miraculous for this cheese fiend. Ha!
Days 4-5
Breakfasts: oat flour banana pancakes, breakfast quinoa
Lunches: leftover broccoli soup (That recipe made a ton!), my favorite tuna salad over lettuce
Dinners: Grilled chicken with roasted cauliflower and asparagus, chicken with rice
Snacks: smoothies, apples with cashew butter
Cashew butter has been another blessed discovery with this plan. Where has it been all my life!?
Mama the Reader 