If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to banana bread and particularly a digestion-friendly alternative, then this Banana Bread Quinoa Oatmeal is for you!
I can still remember the first time I saw something made with quinoa and swore I’d never go near the stuff. That was, of course, well before my days of digestion issues when I was naive enough to think I could stuff my face with pizza and cheesecake forever. 😉 It was an easier transition to using quinoa as a substitute for things like rice or other grains, but when first trying it out as a replacement to oats/oatmeal, I was beyond skeptical. I’ve found, though, that it’s actually quite delicious and when flavored and cooked right, can convince my tastebuds that it’s the real deal.
I find that the key to cooking quinoa as oatmeal (for me, anyway) is to overcook it. It needs to be fairly mushy so it doesn’t have the grainy texture to it (whereas in salads, I like it to have a bit of the grain texture). Thoroughly rinsing the quinoa makes a big difference as well, since unrinsed (or under-rinsed) quinoa has a kind of bitter taste to it. I don’t know about you but I don’t like bitter breakfast foods (or really bitter any kind of foods).
This is the second quinoa oatmeal I’ve tried (the first being my Strawberries and Cream Breakfast Quinoa – recipe here) and I think I’m now officially converted to being a quinoa-for-breakfast eater. I have been seeing recently that quinoa can be used for other breakfast foods too, such as pancakes and waffles. I’m looking forward to experimenting with that in the very near future and also want to try incorporating some other Low FODMAP grains with the quinoa to add additional textures and flavors. So stay tuned for some more delicious tummy-friendly quinoa breakfast creations coming soon!
Banana Bread Quinoa Oatmeal
Ingredients
For Oatmeal:
- 1 cup (180g) quinoa (thoroughly rinsed in a fine mesh strainer under cold water for ~3 minutes. Make sure it's fully rinsed or else it will taste bitter when it's done cooking)
- 3/4 cup (200g) bananas (mashed - use super ripe bananas)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Optional Toppings: *NOTE: Nutritional info below does not include the optional toppings*
- pecan halves (for Low FODMAP/IBS - do not use more than 5 halves/~10g per serving)
- pure maple syrup (for Low FODMAP/IBS - do not use more than 1 Tbsp.)
- unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- banana slices (for Low FODMAP/IBS - a safe serving of banana is up to 100g, so you could add in 50g worth of slices, if desired)
Instructions
- Place the quinoa, bananas, brown sugar and milk in a medium-sized sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to boil.
- When the mixture starts to boil, cover the pan, reduce heat to low/medium-low and simmer for ~20-25 minutes until the milk has absorbed and quinoa has reached the desired consistency.
Note: If for some reason the quinoa isn't soft enough for you when the milk evaporates, add in a bit more milk or water and continue cooking a few more minutes. - When done to your liking, remove from heat, uncover, add in the vanilla extract and stir/fluff up the quinoa. Top with pecans, maple syrup and/or additional milk, if desired, or eat as is. Either way is delicious!
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a little bit of water or milk before heating.
Notes
*Information above is based on the oatmeal recipe alone, without any of the optional toppings.*
*Information above is based on the specific brands/types of ingredients I used (as one example, pink himalayan sea salt is lower sodium than regular salt). Values vary if using any other brands/types of ingredients.*
*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.* *Back to Top of Page*
