Savory breakfast quinoa bowl with a tomato compote
This savory breakfast quinoa bowl is healthy and so satisfying: it’s the perfect meal to avoid a hungry spike at 10 am! You will love how the creamy and naturally sweet quick cherry tomato compote combines with the chewy quinoa. It’s easy to make and will be a fun change in your morning routine!
For those of you that follow me closely, you might have realized by now that our children are huge eaters. Even though they are still both under 4, they will eat almost anything, anytime.
This might sound great for parents of picky eaters, but there are consequences to having gourmet kids. It means that we also have no personal space when eating. Never. Unless hiding in the closet with our food. But even this is not a guarantee, they always seem to find me.
I have countless visions of my husband trying to eat his huge bowl of dried raw oats with bitter cacao nibs (unsurprisingly, he has become a health nerd too) while having both kids on his knees, sharing spoonfuls of his non kid friendly bowl with them. After they both ate a huge amount of oatmeal.
So, I realize that sometimes I’ll choose to eat something our kids might not be interested in so I can potentially have 5 minutes sitting alone while eating. If you are not a parent, this might sound a little bit of a stretch, but trust me, 5 minutes alone to enjoy a meal is like pure gold in my current life!
This savory breakfast bowl was an attempt to eat a meal by myself. It was all planned: I’ll feed the kids first, they will be full, then I’ll eat my delicious bowl of savory quinoa while they play. My not-that-interesting-for-kids-under-four breakfast bowl. You have done that too, right?
Fail. Again.
It seems like tomatoes, leeks and quinoa is a great kid friendly combination too. I need to add more spicy pepper flakes next time. Just kidding. Kind of.
Why you should give this savory breakfast quinoa bowl a try
I feel like we often get caught into a routine when choosing our first meal of the day, eating the same meals over and over again. This bowl is a perfect option if you need to change things up a bit. It is very filling and the combination of flavors is so satisfying.
Are your mornings too busy for making a bowl? You can prepare the quinoa and tomato compote ahead! Simply warm them together in the microwave when ready to eat, then top with sliced avocado. This would be a 5 minutes breakfast, it’s quicker than making toast!
Also, if you are trying to improve your diet, than this healthy vegan breakfast bowl must make it to your meal planning! It is packed with nourishing ingredients while being super filling to avoid getting hungry too early.
What is a tomato compote
You are probably more familiar with sweet fruit compotes, which are made simply by cooking fruits until they are softened and their natural sugars turn into a light syrup.
Tomatoes are technically a fruit and make for a perfect savory version of a compote. During the cooking process, the natural sugar in the tomatoes is concentrated and you end up with a sweet and creamy mixture. Try combining warm tomato compote with pasta or other grains or even eat cold on bread or crackers.
How to make this cherry tomato and leek compote
The first step is to make sure you clean the leek very carefully. The dirt finds its way inside the layers of the veggie, so simply rinsing it under water might not be enough.
Simply chop the leeks, then soak it in a bowl filled with cold water. Move the pieces around using your hands making sure you dislodge all the dirt. Then, drain in a colander and dry with a clean towel.
To make the compote, you will have to add the ingredients in the same pan, but at different phases of the cooking.
First goes the leek, then the spices. When the veggie is softened, add the cherry tomatoes. I like keeping the tomatoes whole so they hold on their shape a little more during cooking. Finally, the spinach is added just to wilt it. This whole process should take about 15 minutes.
It’s a good time to cook the quinoa while making the compote so everything is ready at the same time.
Build the savory breakfast bowl
There are many different ways to make your bowl, but I like to start with a bed of quinoa. Then, add sliced avocado on the side. Finally, top with the warm tomato compote.
Adding a sprinkle of paprika will give it a good look and don’t forget the piece of crusty bread to dip in the tomato juice, yum.
Turn this savory breakfast quinoa bowl into a delicious lunch
The savory nature of this bowl also makes it a perfect lunch. Bring the leftovers to work the day after, but don’t forget to warm up the quinoa and tomato compote together before adding the avocado. This bowl is packed with protein (thanks to the quinoa) and good fats (oh hello avocado), so you will be sure to get the energy you need to be productive all afternoon!
Variations
This recipe is a very customizable meal. You can keep it really simple or go bananas and pack it with more goodness.
- Add a good drizzle of hot sauce (sriracha!) for a good kick.
- Worried you won’t be full long enough? Add a can of drained chickpeas or roasted tofu for extra protein.
- For more creaminess, add a dollop of coconut yogourt.
- Make it Mexican style with a hint of chili powder and cumin powder while cooking the compote.
- Swap the spinach and try kale, collard greens or mustard greens.
- Planning a big brunch? Don’t forget the roasted potatoes and the crusty bread!
Are you feeling more like a SWEET breakfast bowl? Check out this barley and oat breakfast bowl!
I hope you will love this vegan savory breakfast bowl as much as I do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was.
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Savory breakfast quinoa bowl with a tomato compote
Ingredients
To make the tomato compote
- 1 large leek
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 large handfull of fresh baby spinach
To make the bowl
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 avocado peeled and sliced
Instructions
Make the quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander. Drain well. Transfer to a small pot and add 1 1/2 cup of water.
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Once it is boiling, turn down the heat to low and keep cooking, still covered, for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the tomato compote
- Discard the dark green part of the leek and slice in about 1 inch width. Soak the pieces of leek into cold water and gently stir around with your hands to remove all the dirt. Drain well in a colander and dry with a towel.
- In a large pan, cook the leeks on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and a small amount of oil or water to prevent the veggie from sticking to the pan.
- Once softened, add the garlic, paprika and basil. Keep cooking for about 2 more minutes while stirring often. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Then, add the cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp of water and cover. Keep cooking, at medium heat, for about 7 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to open up. Stir the mixture once in a while. Then, add the spinach and keep cooking a minute or two. At this point, remove the cover if you want to let some of the water evaporate, but make sure to keep the texture a little saucy. Remove from the heat when it has reached the texture to your taste.
Build the bowl
- In 2 bowls, distribute the quinoa, sliced avocado and the tomato-leek compote on top. If desired, add a pinch of paprika, red pepper flakes, sriracha and a side of crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
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