Glimpse into Gembles’ ultimate bowl of goodness

I very often talk about the fantastic breakfast I eat daily (and sometimes twice a day!), and have mentioned the basis of it on this blog before. Hence, I can’t believe it that I haven’t actually gone into detail about it on the blog!! So here it is; you are in for a treat!
This bowl of amazingness has converted yours truly from the ultimate non-morning person, who has always resisted breakfast and only eaten it as a necessity, to someone who pulls their heavy body out of bed with one thing in mind: GET A BOWL OF THAT AMAZING, ULTIMATE BOWL OF GOODNESS…NOW!!!!

I cook up a big batch that sees me through for a few days. When you become addicted to it and start eating it every day (which will happen straight away!!), you will soon find out what quantities suit you, and can adjust your amounts accordingly.

The core building block for this breaky is cooked quinoa.

Cooking quinoa is very easy – easier than rice! If you have leftover cooked plain quinoa from a dinner dish, this is a great dish to use it up!
Recipes usually say to cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water for about 20 minutes. This produces firm but fluffy quinoa. Personally, for this recipe, I have found I like to add as much water as it will take! I think it is best a bit mushy in this dish. So this is how I do it (you decide how you like it):

Rinse 1 cup of whole quinoa (the flavour can be quite bitter if you don’t wash it).
Put this into a saucepan, and cover the quinoa with boiling water from the kettle (or cold water and let it boil), so the water is slightly above the quinoa. On a high heat, stir it now and again, and let it come to the boil. When the water starts to disappear, add more water. Continue this process 3 or 4 times, or until it is large, soft and fluffy!

So, now you have the substance to your breaky. Here is where the fun begins!

The quinoa and chia base:

Place the cooked quinoa, hot or cold, in a big bowl.
Add to it 1/2 cup of white chia seeds (you can increase this amount when you are used to eating chia seeds).
Stir the mixture really well.
Pour over your choice of milk. (I use rice milk, or quinoa milk; it is up to you.) Pour enough over to cover the ingredients; chia seeds absorb liquid – they will drink up whatever you give them! You may have to top up the liquid after a few hours.
Let this mix sit for at least 15 minutes before eating. Your large batch will last in the fridge for 4-5 days, allowing you to scoop out a serve each morning – easy!

Now, this is a good place to start off eating this breaky (but make sure you see below for the must needed topping!!). Get used to the taste of quinoa, and let your stomach get accustomed to chia seeds (they are known to get things moving!!). When you are enjoying this, add in more ingredients.

Stir in these ingredients til well combined:

2-5 tablespoons of LSA (linseed, sunflower seeds & almond meal).
1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon
2-5 tablespoons of sesame seeds

The toppings are what really puts this breaky on the map.

I love, love, love this raspberry sauce poured over it (the same I used on my hot quinoa porridge pancakes):

Raspberry sauce:
Combine 1.5-2 cups of frozen raspberries, 1-2 tablespoons of rice syrup, grated rind of one orange (this can be omitted if you choose), the juice of one orange/lime/lemon, and 1-2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger (this can also be omitted) in a pan. Cook until it is a puree.
I enjoy this best cold, as it sets a bit, but it is also good warm and runny, when you can’t wait for it to cool! If raspberries are too tart for you, try replacing them with frozen strawberries or blueberries.

Keeping in mind your tolerance levels if you have fructose malabsorption, add on the top whatever else takes your fancy; chopped nuts, dried or fresh pineapple/cranberries/blueberries, toasted sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, raw cacao, rice syrup, and sliced banana and strawberries are some of my favs.