This easy Quinoa Breakfast Bake is layers of fresh fruit, quinoa, and oats smothered in a cinnamon and syrup egg mixture baked to perfection! A wholesome, healthy, and scrumptious way to start the day!
Rinse quinoa and oats with cold running water, drain and set aside.
Preheat small skillet on low-medium heat, add coconut and toast until golden brown, stirring frequently. Set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray 8 x 8 square baking dish with cooking spray.
Lay half of bananas, blueberries and raspberries in a single layer on a bottom. Using a spoon or spatula, spread rinsed quinoa and steel cut oats on top. Top with remaining banana and berries.
Slowly pour liquid mixture in the corner of the baking dish without disturbing the set up. If you pour the liquid abruptly in the middle of the dish, all fruit might float to the top. We are looking for evenly distributed fruits and sweetness in every slice.
Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and bake for 60 minutes uncovered.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 45 - 60 minutes.
Cut into 9 slices and serve hot, warm or cold with a dollop of Greek yogurt if desired. You can also dig in with a spoon right away. The bake won't be completely set but still delicious.
Notes
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days
Freeze: Leftovers for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: Assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Bake as per instructions.
Rinsing quinoa: It's best to use a bowl for rinsing grains as quinoa is too small and tends to go through the holes of a mesh strainer (unless you have a very fine one). You want to rinse quinoa for sweet recipes to remove bitter saponin.
Oats: A few readers reported to successfully use quick (regular) oats.
Berries: Feel free to use any combination of berries (I used all blueberries this time).
Protein: Add a scoop of protein powder if you wish.
Egg whites: Replace eggs with 1/2 cup egg whites if you wish.