Quinoa porridge + blueberry jam

In my world, first breakfast needed to be updated. Quinoa is a pseudo-grain and with a brief soak is easier to digest than oatmeal and also packs in more protein. It's usually prepared savory, but this sweetish version is quite delicious for dark wintery mornings. 

Quinoa porridge
serves 4

I like to use canned coconut milk here. Ideally, the liner is BPA free and it has no guar gum. 

1 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup of unsweetened nut milk (cashew, almond, coconut)
1 ⅔ cup filtered water
¼ tsp sea salt
1-2 TBS maple syrup or raw honey*

Toppings: 

blueberry chia jam (see recipe below)
nut butter
cacao nibs

Soak the quinoa for about 15 minutes, rinse and drain. In a small saucepan, add water, quinoa, salt and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Bring heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes. Stir in nut milk. Taste for sweetness. *If using raw honey, mix it in at the end, when the quinoa has cooled slightly to preserve its natural enzymes. 

Transfer to bowl. Add toppings of choice: a small spoonful of nut butter, a couple of spoonfuls of jam and a sprinkle of cacao nibs per bowl. 

Note: Cooked quinoa can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Serve at room temperature or heat it, as you are ready to serve, adding a few splashes of milk to loosen. Add toppings.

Quick blueberry-chia jam:

In winter, instead of getting berries that have traveled far, I like to rotate in fruit that was frozen at its peak. 

1 (12 oz) bag of organic frozen blueberries
2 TBS filtered water
splash of vanilla extract
squeeze of lemon juice
2 tsp dark maple syrup
2 tsp chia seeds

Combine blueberries, water, vanilla, lemon juice and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook over low-medium heat until the blueberries have given off their juices, about 5-10 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice or maple syrup, if needed. Stir in chia seeds and let cool. The jam will thicken as it sits.