Love Grown Breakfast

As I was driving home yesterday, my stomach was grumbling.  Usually I don't become hungry between meals, but my body was telling me loud and clear that it was going to require some fuel before dinner, or I'd be one cranky girl.

Quite serendipitously, when I pulled into my parking spot, I saw a promising package awaiting me on my front steps.

A package from Love Grown Foods! I've been hearing about this lovely gluten-free high fructose-free granola around the Internet, and was pretty excited when I won a contest of theirs on facebook.  My new granola stash consists of their Cocoa Goodness, Simply Oats, Raisin Almond Crunch, Apple Walnut Delight and Sweet Cranberry Pecan.  Needless to say, with my level of hunger rising by the minute, I dug right in.  I chose the Cocoa Goodness, and was pleased when I opened the package and got a wonderful waft of chocolate comfort.

Look at those huge clusters of cocoa-coated oats, screaming to be chomped down upon and eaten.  And those chocolate chips are indeed dark chocolate.  What's even better, these oats are certified gluten-free.  No wheat cross-contamination happening here.  Sweetened with agave and honey, a handful of this was the perfect way to prevent a blood-sugar drop from killing my afternoon.  No yucky hydrogenated oils, trans-fats,  or GMOs in these delightful bites, either.  Definitely a new food to LOVE.

As usual when I get a new goodie, my brain and taste buds combine forces to develop a recipe.  Since we had some bananas hanging out on top of the fridge, I thought about how satisfying it would be to combine this cocoa bliss with the bananas to make a nourishing and satisfying breakfast.

I love how light, nutty, and fluffy quinoa can be, and it makes a great way to begin the day at breakfast.  The hint of nuttiness of the quinoa complements the nutty taste of the granola, and the banana makes every bite a bit creamy and luscious.  Cinnamon and ginger compliment the chocolate in the richest way.  This breakfast might be a favorite for a while.  Bananas are a great way to get some sustained energy throughout the day -- this kept me full until lunch time.  Bananas are also full of potassium, which may help relieve headaches, and are a good source of iron.  This tropical fruit also contains an amino acid that gets converted into serotonin, which helps improve your mood.  If this, paired with chocolate, doesn't improve your morning, I don't know what will.

Spiced Quinoa with Banana and Cocoa Goodness

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/4 cup cocoa goodness granola from Love Grown Foods, or other chocolate granola, or granola with cocoa powder and chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger

Start off by bringing the water to a boil.  Add the quinoa and salt, and make sure the burner is set on medium heat.  After 15 minutes, or when the quinoa is translucent in the center with a pretty little ring around the outside of the seed, mix in the spices and chopped banana.    Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with the granola.  Dig in.  This serves one person, so make extra if you want to brigthen up someone else's morning!