Warm Breakfast Quinoa

So for the past few weeks I've been "sort of" doing the anti-inflammatory diet I mentioned several posts ago. The week I decided to start, I got a stomach virus and the only food I could keep down was pretzel rods - not all that gluten-free. Following my illness, I was pretty much on track until J and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary last week with a vacation to Vermont (more on that to come).

Although I've been loosely following this "diet," I must say, I do feel a bit better. I feel like I've got more energy and I'm not craving things quite as often. My general daily routine is to have my Warm Breakfast Quinoa dish around 7:30 a.m., then, as recommended by a former guest poster, I drink Bolthouse Farm's Green Goodness mixed with protein powder around 10:00 a.m. Sometimes I'll eat some almonds and pecans around 11:30 a.m. and then I have a salad lunch between 1-2:00 p.m. Occasionally I''l have some fruit in the afternoon at work, but I'm normally good until I get home. Dinner varies every night - last night J made polenta and veggies.

I thought I'd share my breakfast recipe with you, though. It's become a real favorite for me, topping my love of oatmeal even. It's warm and cozy in the early morning and packed with protein and antioxidants to get you on your feet. I make a big container of quinoa every week or so and I'm good to go for days. Remember - quinoa quadruples in size when you make it so a little does go a long way!

Warm Breakfast Quinoa
1/2 cup cooked mixed quinoa (I mix the red and plain quinoa - there's also black but our Whole Foods just stopped carrying it...which bums me out big time because it's my favorite kind!)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup defrosted frozen or fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp Sunbutter
1 Tbsp local honey
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
almond milk

I begin preparing this overnight so that the chia seeds have time to plump up and aren't crunchy. If you make it the morning, I'd suggest removing the chia, unless you like crunchy tiny little seeds that get stuck in  your teeth. So the night before - I put the quinoa in a bowl and sprinkle on the chia. Then I mix in the blueberries and a splash of almond milk - just enough to absorb over night. I cover it up and leave it in the fridge.

The next morning, all of the milk is absorbed and the chia seeds have plumped up. I add in the sun butter and honey and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. I sprinkle on the pecans and top with some more almond milk, just as you would with oatmeal.

I know, I know, I know

I know it's been forever. Sorry buddies! Life's been incredibly hectic since J and I found out we unexpectedly have to move. We think we finally found a place - so fingers crossed!

Since January, I've shed about 15 pounds. At first I was incredibly proud of myself and excited...but now the thrill is gone and I'm remembering that my real goal was to lose about 45 pounds. So back at it we go!

For the next week or so, I'm jumping into a semi-raw diet and excluding bread, any pre-prepared vegan foods other than tofu, and eliminating cooking for the most part. Pintrest has been a huge help in providing inspiration for meals and I've even started "Raw" and "Get Healthy(er)" boards to collect ideas. This morning's breakfast was a Pinterest find and is from food blogger Oh She Glows - Easy Overnight Buckwheat Parfait. It's really delicious - earthy tones of buckwheat, the tapioca like chia seeds sweetened with banana, the fresh strawberries J and I picked at Alewives Brook Farm yesterday, and some blueberries. And no cooking involved! Yay! She gives other incarnations of the parfait to try out just to mix it up and I'm sure I'll test those out too.

I also love how portable this breakfast is. One of my more recent goals is to try to make time for myself to eat breakfast at home in the morning. Not standing over the sink, not taking bites between brushing my hair - but actually sitting down, taking in the tastes, appreciating the work that went into making the food I'm consuming. But honestly, some mornings just don't work out as planned. And this morning, I just grabbed my little juice glass sized Ball jar and headed out the door.

I also prepared a large pitcher of water with lemons and limes at home and filled my water bottle up this morning to take to work. After I get to the store this week, I'll add cucumber and mint to the water to make "Sassy Water" - which a friend pinned on Pinterest and told me she was drinking for a while while detoxing and it really helped improve her skin health. I'll let you all know how it goes!