Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast Idea

I recently tried quinoa for the first time. Since then, I have been trying to find a way to cook it for breakfast. I saw a recipe for  Apples and Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa on Pinterest, and wanted to give it a try. It called for apple sauce, which I did not have, so I decided to take the author's suggestion and try it with pumpkin and cranberries. Not feeling adventurous enough to create the entire recipe on my own, I hit Google in search of a pumpkin quinoa recipe I could use a guidance for my own creation. The Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast recipe that served ad my inspiration can be found at the Make and Takes blog.


Here is how I cooked my Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast:

• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rinsed quinoa
• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons pureed carrots (Optional - I had some so I added them)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup splenda
• 1/8 cup pecan meal (can be chopped pecans instead)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 apple cut into small chunks

**Note: I doubled the amount of the spices to fit my preferences. I also substituted splenda for brown sugar.
Combine milk, water, and half each of the spices called for in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or until water absorbed). Turn off heat, stir in the rest of the spices, the pumpkin and the carrot. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, apple chances, cranberries, and pecans. Serves 4.