Are you ready to try a unique and fun new recipe? I sure hope so! I love breakfast casseroles for many reasons. The top two reasons are they are at the ready for grab & go breakfasts and they taste amazing! I have been doing a lot of baked oatmeal lately and I thought it would be fun to mix things up with quinoa. Quinoa is a favorite ingredient for lots of you these days, so I figured it was time to make a breakfast recipe with it! This is a sweet mixture of black quinoa, sweet potatoes, dried fruit, eggs, coconut milk and spices.
Do you ever have quinoa for breakfast? If not you must…
Over here we love pomegranate seeds as much as we love fresh berries. Sprinkle them over this breakfast casserole, yogurt parfaits and oatmeal. They are also great in shakes and smoothies.
Can you get a peek-a-boo look at that colorful egg crate behind the fresh pomegranates? My daughter had fun painting it all the colors of the rainbow. It was a beautiful day & she set up her paints on our back yard table and got to work.
Sometimes impromptu little crafts make the perfect back ground props! For lots of new prop finds you must check out my Props I Need Pinterest board. There are some awesome ideas over there.
Casseroles and breakfast bakes are so nice because they require minimum clean up and you can experiment freely with flavors and toppings. Sweet potatoes are a great whole food, high energy way to start the day. There is lots of usable protein in this recipe too with the eggs and quinoa. High energy foods are very important to us. Always.
Pack a slice of this quinoa bake in your lunch box too. This would make a great lunch or healthy snack and it’s a great way to handle sweet cravings throughout the day.
Please don’t forget your favorite cowboy coffee cup.
Quinoa is also great in savories. For example my Wild Salmon Basil Aioli and Quinoa is amazing! I urge you to try that at your earliest opportunity.
In the mean time let’s get baking fro breakfast. Prepare this casserole the night before so you can wake up to something nourishing, healthy and very delicious. This recipe is also gluten free so folks who cannot eat gluten are not left out on the flavorful fun!
Do you have a favorite breakfast casserole recipe?
Breakfast Bakes & Casserole Recipe Links
- Blueberry Coconut Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal MarlaMeridith.com
- Breakfast Millet Casserole My Conscious Eating
- Cinnamon Apple Bake Breakfast Natural Noshing
- Coconut Buckwheat Breakfast Bake Running to the Kitchen
- Cheesy Bacon Apple Frittata MarlaMeridith.com
- Sweet Potato Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole Oh She Glows
This is just beautiful!! It sounds so hearty too–perfect way to start my day off. LOVE that mug!! It’s happy just like you 🙂
Thanks Kristan 🙂 This is hearty in a great way…all high energy ingredients and you don’t feel sluggish after eating it as you would heavy carbs. (Well at least I feel tired after eating heavy carbs 😉 The mug : total joy!
Oh this looks so so good ! I’ve been wanting to try a recipe with quinoa!
xo.britt
themagnoliapair.com
I just added this to my breakfast food bookmark folder. I gotta start doing better at breakfast time. I’m bad about having my cup of coffee and then not eating until 10:00. Horrible!
Shawna, try to eat a bit earlier girl ~ might help you power through the day. Thanks for adding this to your recipe bookmarks, I hope you get to try it sometime soon 🙂
That is an original breakfast recipe. What a healthy combo! Perfect for fuelling your body with good energy.
Cheers,
Rosa
That is such an interesting post! I liked the egg crate (your daughter made it look beautiful, I love her colors). Quinoa for breakfast? Why not!
This looks amazing! I love all the balance of flavors. I have a whole bunch of sweet taters and quinoa…now I just need the pomegranates!
What a wholesome, healthy and delicious idea for breakfast! Looks wonderful, Marla.
this is one of the most unique recipes I have seen all this month. Quinoa has been all over the internet and i’m yet to try it. Too bad?!
Gorgeous photos, Marla! Love the bright pops of pom arils scattered throughout the bake. Soooo pretty!
I’ve made quinoa for breakfast and had it more like a porridge but this breakfast bake sounds delicious! I can also see making this into a savory breakfast- thanks for the inspiration!
This is most unique. I love the looks of it. I will definitely have to try this.
Gorgeous Marla!! Breakfast casseroles are the best. One then once, eat for a few days!
Do you have to use the black quinoa? Just wondering if I could use what I have on hand. I love your blog…such great recipes for the whole family. Thank you!!
Stacey, feel free to use white or red quinoa too. They all have basically the same flavor. So glad you like my recipes for your family 🙂
I also share a love for breakfast casseroles, especially ones you can prepare the evening before!
Erin, preparing food the day before you eat them is such a magical thing indeed. Even better when you have it around to enjoy for a few days!
Looks amazing! I have a box of quinoa and I have never used it. I think this dish would be perfect for me to try it with! I love a meal that I can take to work with me thats healthy, filling and full of energy!! Thanks Marla!
Jennifer, you gotta pop open that box of quinoa. This would be perfect to bring to work!
One word–gorgeous!
Thanks Bree 🙂
Beautiful breakfast casserole Marla! I’ve made quinoa for breakfast, but never baked it – makes this healthy breakfast portable. Great idea. We love pomegranate seeds at our house too.
love the combination of sweet potato, quinoa and dried fruit – definitely need to try this one!
I still haven’t tried quinoa for breakfast, but really need to jump on that. The combination of flavors in this casserole is really lovely – as are your photos.
i love the idea of this. This would be a great change up from our oatmeal. And anything topped with pom seeds is always a good way to start the day! 🙂
Jenna, we love oatmeal too. This is a nice + subtle change.
Great recipe. I like quinoa as well, tried quite a few recipes and love this one!
This looks just beautiful – the colors are so dramatic! I also love the fact that you can make this for breakfast (with honey drizzle for a little sweet) and then have it again for dinner (with maybe some hot sauce for a kick). . . such a versatile meal.
Alyssa you smart girl, I had not even thought of making this a savory. Easy enough to do & yes, it would be very tasty. I must try that some time soon.
super clever! Miss you!!
My..my..this must be one of the most healthiest breakfasts I have come across in my browsing recently! Love that beautiful slice full of nutrients.
What a great way to use quinoa!
I love the idea of a breakfast casserole and this looks so decadent but healthy. Pinning this one right away!
i want to make this. you have pom seeds, almonds, & pistachios on top? also can you omit the salt? thanks
I love breakfast casseroles too. I haven’t tried quinoa for breakfast. This looks like a great way to try it.
Love those beautiful jewel colored pomegranate arils here, such a nice way to dress up breakfast.
this looks FABULOUS! if you have a minute, I would love for you to link this up at my Successful Saturday linkup. I think it would be a great addition!
Have a great weekend!
http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-successful-saturday-link-up.html
I do love breakfast casseroles that I can make the night before- mornings are just too rushed around here! I’ve never tried the black quinoa, but it looks interesting. Sweet potatoes are my current love, so this is really looking good to me. 🙂
This looks so good!! I have never seen black quinoa before just the white and red. Is there a different flavor with the black? I can’t wait to try this!
Shanna, that is a great question. Maybe an oh so slightly deeper, nuttier flavor & a bit more al dente with the black. I really love it for the color. You should have great results of if you go with the white, red or black 🙂
Hi Marla! So I’ve been following your beautiful blog for awhile now and drooling over all your recipes. However, they all look too perfect and pretty for me to try. No I’m not new to cooking and baking. Just that everything looks so gourmet. But, I thought I’d give it a go and made this wonderful breakfast casserole. Oh my word! I must admit I was a little worried with all the different ingredients but it’s a hit alright. Especially with fresh whipped cream. I am a sugar addict who is slowly cleansing her body a day at a time and your blog is much help right now. Thank you for sharing your wonderful self and recipes with all us followers out here:-)
Mara, YOU just made my day. Really. Such a lovely comment to wake up to! I am thrilled to hear that you tried this breakfast casserole. Once you have the ingredients lined up it comes together very simply. Congrats on taking such great care of yourself and I look forward to hearing more about your journey 🙂 Sugar free is fun isn’t it?! ((hugs))
Thank you for the recipe! I am excitedly waiting for it to finish baking. Some subsitutes…used Black rice instead of quinoa (for the color). I didnt have coconut milk so used Almond milk. I also used Lucuma as a sweetner alternative (rich in antioxidants). Cross your fingers I hope it’s as good as yours!
Christine, fingers are crossed ~ I hope it turns out wonderful. Do report back 🙂
holy moly, I saw this on pinterest and nearly died with excitement. It’s SO beautiful! Great recipe, love it!
This looks and sounds amazing! I have been trying many different recipes for mine and hubby’s lunches as well as dinners for the whole fam. I also have just gotten tired of my most recent breakfast choice, which has basically been vanilla yogurt with fruit and granola for a month or so now. I need something new and this sounds great! This question may sound silly, but I’m assuming you need to cook the sweet potato first as it’s hard as a rock and I can’t imagine you can mash it uncooked. Do you boil the potato or bake it or does it matter? And your recipe says 3/4 cup. Is that just 1 potato or more? Thanks and sorry for the elementary question. 🙂
Alyson, great question! You can boil, bake or microwave the sweet potato until it is soft. 3/4 cup would be 1 large-ish potato. Hopefully you can try this recipe soon…come back and tell me if you do! Best, Marla
This sounds lovely. Going to give this a go. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon