Baked Breakfast Quinoa with Plums

You want to start your day with this spiced fruity wholegrain bake very similar to my bircher muesli. I must admit this one pan baked breakfast quinoa with plums is my ideal go to breakfast. You just chuck everything into a baking pan and let the oven do all the cooking (baking in this case). It ticks all the boxes for being quick and easy, nutrient dense , one bowl and versatile. Baked breakfasts are time saving, can be made ahead in big batches (add this to your meal prep repertoire if you haven’t already) and the leftovers can be warmed the next day. Further they are wonderful to serve if entertaining a crowd over brunch – make a big batch that looks pretty and can be enjoyed by everyone (kids included).

Here I have baked with the last of the season’s ripe plums considering we are in the midst of autumn right now in Australia. But make it with any relatively firm fruit i.e. berries, peaches and other stone fruit of summer or plums, apples and pears during the cooler months. Once you layer the fruit in the baking pan, add in the grains or pseudo grains you like, top with nuts and seeds and sprinkle over your chosen spice. Here I have used one half quinoa soaked overnight and the other half rolled oats.

Nutrient Dense and Fiber Rich Breakfast

This breakfast is refined sugar-free. The ripe plums let out natural fruit sugars and water to help bake the whole thing. For extra sweetness add in maple syrup, rice malt syrup or coconut sugar. I also soaked a big handful of nuts and seeds in water overnight before draining and then scattering them over the bake. I don’t like to add eggs as many baked fruity oatmeal like dishes call for. However for better binding, for some creaminess and indulgence, a nut milk (almond / coconut/ macadamia) or whole milk will do the trick.

Once baked scoop it into bowls and enjoy it just like that or maybe with a dollop of fresh yogurt. The squishy baked fruit with the chewy quinoa, oats , nuts and warming spices is a flavour explosion in the mouth.  In the notes below, I have listed some of my favourite combinations. Experiment with as many as you like.

Notes on Baked Breakfast Quinoa with Plums

1. Soaking nuts and seeds improves their overall nutrition and aids in digestion. If you don’t have time to soak, just use as is. More on the benefits of soaking nuts and seeds here.
2. If using dairy milk, use the best quality fresh whole milk you can get your hands on. Here in Sydney, I find milk from the Pines Kiama the best milk I have ever had. It is available at Carriageworks farmers market every Saturday. Other milks (also pretty darn good) are from Barambah Organic or Country Valley.  Non-dairy milks also give a rich and creamy texture. So use a good quality oat, almond, coconut or macadamia nut milk.
3. Here are more combinations to experiment with
   • Strawberries, rhubarb, rolled oats , coconut milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin seeds, almonds
   • Peaches, nectarines, soaked amaranth grain, almond milk, cardamom, pistachios
   • Apples, rolled oats, soaked quinoa, whole milk, cinnamon, walnuts
   • Pears, rolled oats, dry ginger powder, macadamia milk, macadamia nuts, coconut chips