Fiesta Quinoa

Cilantro, cumin, and lime. I'm addicted to these flavors. I always think it's crazy when I hear people say that they don't like cilantro or cumin. I mean, to each their own, but really? Crazy. We pretty much have all three on hand at all times. That's probably because we eat Mexican food, or Mexican inspired food, a lot. Like 3 times a week a lot. Tacos, quesadillas, burritos... they're all pretty quick to make. And tasty. That's always nice too. These days, I really like quick and tasty.

This dish? It's quick and tasty. Plus, it's healthy and full of flavor. This quinoa recipe is a great side dish alternative for a Mexican meal. But it can also be a meal all on it's own. As much as I love rice, I've really come to appreciate quinoa. Not only is it super healthy, but it takes no time to cook. Okay so it takes some time to cook, just not as much as rice or pasta.

Banana Quinoa Granola Parfait

By now I'm sure that you've heard about the many wonders of quinoa - protein, fiber, iron, and more! So have you tried it yet? If you haven't, you should. At first I was a bit intimidated by it, but have discovered that it's nothing to be scared of. It's simple to make and delicious. While many quinoa recipes are savory, there is also a sweet side to this ancient little seed. This recipe is a great example of that.

The best part about this recipe is that it takes a simple coconut almond granola and makes it that much more nutritious simply by adding quinoa! Plus, with a dollop of whipped cream this breakfast parfait becomes dessert!

Ingredients

Quinoa Granola
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well and dried
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Bananas
• 3 Bananas, sliced
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Yogurt
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt

Instructions

Quinoa Granola
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine oats, quinoa, almonds, coconut, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Mix in honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.
• Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then stir. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Bananas
• In a small bowl, gently toss bananas in maple syrup and cinnamon.
Assembly
• In the bottom of 4 bowls/parfait cups/mason jars, spoon in 1/4 cup yogurt.
• Spoon in a layer of bananas and a layer of granola.
• Repeat with 1/4 cup yogurt, bananas, and top with granola.