Apple and Cinnamon Quinoatmeal - THM E

 Hello fellow foodies! Let's talk super foods, shall we? If you are part of the Trim Healthy Mama community then you know about the difference when it comes to "E, S, FP and Crossover" Meals/Snacks... If you are not part of that plan but you love good, healthy and tasty food ... don't leave... this recipe is for you too!

So... Before we get to the recipe let's talk a little bit about something, and let's be honest fellow THMs... Dairy... don't you love it? I do! What would I do without cheese? it's so good! But at the same time many of us tend to overdo it... No judgment here... just speaking out of my very own personal experience... And if we're not careful, the "frankenfoods" start to occupy way to many places in our menu... The THM plan gives you lots of freedom... but sometimes I like to switch things around a little bit to keep my metabolism moving and on its toes... And I like to give it a shock of energy not only with tons of veggies but with some amazingly good for you ingredients like:

Red Quinoa and Steel Cut Oats ,


Quinoa is rich in amazing nutrients for you, it is gluten free, it has all the essential amino acids (including Lysine), it basically has more and better protein than most grains, it has a glycemic index of 53 which is low for a grain and it's even better when soaked -soaking removes the phytic acid-, it is high in minerals like magnesium, is loaded with antioxidants and IT IS EASY too cook and incorporate into your meals.

I hope I just convinced you in case you were doubting...

Now... what are Steel Cut Oats? and what's the difference between them and the old fashioned rolled oats? or even the quick cooking oats? The difference is mostly that they are less processed, steel cut oats is the first best option, rolled oats is the second best and the quick cooking or instant I would just avoid them... because the more processed they are, the faster they convert into sugar in your body. Steel cut oats is basically the whole groat cut in pieces while rolled oats go through the process of steaming/pressing between rollers and drying them... They are still a very good choice but not the very best... Nutritionally there's no difference BUT the glycemic value is a bit different and it can change how our body reacts to the conversion of carbs to sugar in the body. (Don't be afraid of rolled oats, they are still a good option and definitely THM approved! Just don't use the "quick cooking" or "instant" kind).

Now after all that I am sure you want me to get into the recipe... Right? This breakfast is sooo delicious and so... dare I say SATISFYING? (I am always a bit afraid of using the word "satisfying" when talking about an "E" THM meal... I don't want anybody to be confused!) BUT... This stuff is sooo good! You can even have it for lunch! Why not?

This recipe requires a bit of preparation ahead of time... but it's totally worth it!

Apple Cinnamon Quinoatmeal 

Servings: 2
GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, VEGAN, SUGAR FREE
Nutrition PER SERVING:
CARBS: 39 grams, FIBER: 4 grams, NET CARBS: 35 grams, FAT: 2.9 grams, PROTEIN: 5.5 grams.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Red Quinoa (why red? because it's pretty! But you can also use white quinoa)
• 1/4 cup Steel Cut Oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk, plus more for serving
• 1 pinch sea salt 
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• sweetener to taste (I used 1 doonk of pure THM stevia extract) - click here to know what a doonk is 
• splash of vanilla 
• 1 apple cubed or shredded

Preparation

• The night before cooking, rinse quinoa thoroughly and drain. Combine oats and quinoa in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 cup boiling water, (put a lid on it and forget about it 'till the next day).
• In the morning, bring oats and quinoa to a boil. Stir in almond milk, salt, and cinnamon and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until quinoa grains are tender, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add splash of vanilla and sweetener, give it a stir to incorporate.
• Top quinoatmeal with apple, and sprinkle more cinnamon, if desired. Drizzle with unsweetened almond or cashew milk to thin or enjoy as it is (like I do! it's pretty thick... but you can thin it to your own liking!)
  
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  This is what the oatmeal and quinoa looked like when I covered them with the boiling water in the night.
  

  

  
  
  Now this is what the mix of grains looked like the next morning
  
  

  

  
  Once the quinoatmeal is ready it yields 1 1/2 cups.... 3/4 of a cup is ONE serving.
  
  

  

  
  

Now... if you want to pair this with some more protein... Go ahead! You can use 0% Greek Yogurt and now it doesn't even have to be UNFLAVORED... There is this new (DELICIOUS) Yogurt from Dannon that is sweetened WITH STEVIA! YAY!!! I have tried strawberry, vanilla and coconut... they are all delicious but I can't wait to get my hands in a BANANA CREME one!

So... it's been confirmed to be plan approved! It has 15 grams of protein and it will keep you in a very healthy "E" because it has no fat! (if you eat it by itself it would be an FP)

So... Let me know how you like this delicious SUPER breakfast packed with nutrition and flavor... I'll love to hear from you.

© Paloma K.

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