Delicious Apple & Banana Quinoa Breakfast Muffins

Hey everyone! So today I've got a really great breakfast muffin recipe for you to try. When you're going for a muffin in the muffin you really want something that tastes good, but also will give you the nutrition and energy you need to get through the morning. These muffins have it all, quinoa, oats, fruit and sweetness. If you use gluten free oats, its a perfect gluten free breakfast. This recipe calls for apple sauce, but I have made it with warmed smooth apricot glaze before and it came out just as good. So there is definitely room for personal tweaks if you feel adventurous! They are great warm from the oven or cooled in the fridge, and easily reheated if you desire. Grab a couple from the fridge in the morning or after a hard workout session to tame that hunger!

Ingredients

• ½ cup apricot glaze or apple sauce
• 1 cup mashed bananas (three small bananas)
• 1 apple
  
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (½ cup dry)
• 2 ½ cups raw rolled oats
• ½ cup almond milk (or preferred milk, but almond is amazing!)
• ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup / agave nectar for vegan)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 extra banana for topping

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190°C ( 374° F) and lightly grease your muffin tin with olive oil. You can use another oil if you wish.
Cook your half cup of dry quinoa. Bring ¾ cup water to a boil and pour in the quinoa. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir well. Cook until  the quinoa is soft and fluffy, should be about 10-13 minutes.
Once that is done mix your apple sauce or smooth apricot glaze, mashed bananas, almond milk, honey and vanilla together in a medium bowl.  Next, in a larger bowl mix your dry ingredients and cooked quinoa. Add the wet ingredients little by little into the dry until combined nicely.
Peel and core your apple. Chop it into medium chunks and add the the mixture.
Now fill each of the muffin cups of your tin fully with the quinoa mixture. Add a couple of banana slices to each on top and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Don't forget you can store these in an airtight container in your fridge for the rest of the week. You'll be set for breakfast and/or snacks for a while. This makes a dozen breakfast muffins for me. You can experiment with additional ingredients to add extra nutrition and protein (top with almond butter, bake with added berries, cacao nibs, chia seeds, flax seed etc) Hope you try this beauty out for yourselves!

Easy Chia Seed Pudding & Fresh Berries

Looking for a breakfast that is quick, healthy, vegan, gluten free, high in fiber and vitamins and also amazingly delicious!? Well say hello my current favourite, chia seed pudding! This recipe is easy as pie, but better of course! Not only does it meet the full array of the criteria listed, but it even looks very inviting to the eye.

I'll put it out there that if you aren't the biggest fan of tapioca pudding, due to its texture, you may not be the biggest fan. That being said I have heard of people who aren't tapioca lovers saying that it is a bit different and that they still enjoy the benefits of a good chia pudding. Its not exactly the same texture but it is somewhat similar, so that must be left to personal preference.

If you are up for trying a bowl of this fantastic chia goodness then please read on! You will love how easy this recipe is. No cooking, no fuss. Just prepare your pudding the night before so it is ready to serve in the morning. For me this is food magic!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of almond milk (you can use soy, coconut, hazelnut etc. Or make it non-vegan)
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1½ tablespoons organic pure cane sugar (or any sweetener of choice)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Mixed berries or any other topping you like (other fruits, nuts etc)

Method:

This is going to thrill you, I know. Find a small bowl and combine your milk, sugar (or sweetener of choice) and vanilla extract. Add in your chia seeds and whisk together. All done! Now leave your pudding mixture to to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but the best results come from leaving it overnight. You can leave it in the bowl you mixed it in or anything else you like. The chia seeds will absorb the liquids, expand and create a gel-like tapioca pudding consistency. The longer you leave it to become pudding the better and thicker the pudding will be.

 In the morning grab your now set chia pudding and pour into your desired serving bowl and top with fresh berries of your choice. I love it with raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Its also great with blackberries mixed in there or even topped with pomegranate! You can play around with your topping choices as much as you like. Oranges and dark chocolate shavings, shredded coconut, slivered almonds, whatever tickles your tastebuds.

Well I hope you enjoy this recipe and give it a go. Its a fabulous breakfast or pre-work out snack and it also makes a delicious dessert. Have fun!