Occasionally, throughout the year and to my considerable delight, freezer items will get shuffled or used; revealing bags of wild, Alaskan mountain blueberries that Todd and I picked in autumn.
Like a reticent squirrel, I stash the berries in the back of the freezer, praying they will tide us over until next fall when we'll continue the tradition of picking them all over again. Usually, come August, I realize I have barely touched them and find myself working the blueberries into a many number of dishes. It's similar to my obsession with hoarding bath luxuries (I don't even take baths!) like the flowery bubbles, salts, and fragrant fizzies. I keep them stowed away "saving" them for a worthy occasion. Alas, they never get used and I end up throwing them away 10 years later when I eventually find the dust-covered derelicts.
This will not happen with my blueberries. They will not become freezer-burnt. I shall be better about using them throughout the entirety of the year. I shall deem them worthy of everyday smoothies and oatmeal. Okay, maybe not the smoothies yet...I shall make more pies. I shall celebrate the little buggers, instead of suffocating them with love.
So, while excavating a bag of the blueberries from the back of the freezer, I also discovered some rhubarb I picked and froze a few months ago. Huzzah! And just like that, this winter-inspired quinoa porridge just fell right into place!
A most divine wintery breakfast to keep you toasty warm and satisfied on a snowy morning. Wild blueberries and rhubarb from autumn mingle with fresh, winter pomegranates in this timely and humble quinoa porridge, speckled with toasted nuts and seeds.
You're going to want to save this one for Saturday morning! Oh Saturday...you can't come soon enough.
Did I tell you we finally got snow?! We actually when on a night ski yesterday. Do you night ski too?
Wintery Quinoa Porridge
A most divine wintery breakfast to keep you toasty warm and satisfied on a snowy morning. Wild blueberries and rhubarb from autumn mingle with fresh, winter pomegranates in this timely and humble quinoa porridge, speckled with toasted nuts and seeds. NOTES: Feel free to use any combination of nuts and seeds you like. Toasting them is an extra step, but well worth it!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, dry (I like red)
- 1/2 cup nut/seed mixture, chopped (I used pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
- 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. alma powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- dash of freshly ground nutmeg
- small pinch of kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups frozen, wild blueberries
- 1 cup frozen, chopped rhubarb
- 1/2 pomegranate, seeded (about ½ cup of seeds)
Cooking Directions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil with the quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, uncovered. Drain all the water from the pot, leaving the quinoa.
- Meanwhile, over medium heat, toast the nuts and seeds in a sturdy frying pan until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the quinoa, including the nuts and seeds, but excluding the berries. Stir well until the peanut butter is completely incorporated.
- Now, add the berries and over low, heat the porridge until the berries are warm.
- Serve with an additional splash of non-dairy milk and/or maple syrup.
Dutch Word of The Day
Porridge --> brij (bray)
Good Deed of The Day
Did you guys see that the very first vegan butcher shop is opening up in Minneapolis?! So cool! If I'm ever in the Twin-Cities...check it out more here.
