Flash in the Pan: Pink Breakfast Bowl
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
[Could that be--beets in your breakfast, Ricki?!]
I know I just posted a Flash in the Pan recipe last week, but I had to pop in again with this one because I enjoyed it so much!
As a rule, I usually eat more raw fruits and vegetables during the summer, and this year was no exception. But over the past few months, I’ve also begun to realize that I also prefer the taste and texture of most produce when raw. Nowadays, I’d say that the HH and I eat our leafy greens (kale, collard, chard, etc) raw 95 times out of 100; and while the HH insists that cooked beets “taste like dirt,” he actually likes the raw ones!
I’ve often used beets in cooked dishes and salads, even in sweets (such as Red Velvet Cake, based on this recipe) or breakfast dishes (such as one of my all-time favorite smoothies). I wanted to find more ways to incorporate raw beets in the morning. A while back, I tried out Meghan’s Grain Free Raw Granola (which reminded me of my own Earth Bowl). When I found myself with leftover quinoa this morning, I decided to combine the raw beet idea with the cooked-grains-as-cereal idea, keeping the whole dish cold (since cooking would render the beets more ”dirt-like”).
[Behold how gorgeous that is!]
The final result was one of the heartiest, tastiest breakfasts I’ve ever had! It still felt like a summery dish, as it wasn’t heated; the milk was icy cold. The raw beets melded perfectly with the toasty seeds and added a fresh sweetness to the mix (as well as that stunning hot pink hue). And what a fantastic way to start the day–a flavorful, sweet, filling, protein-packed breakfast cereal that cleanses the blood and tones the liver (courtesy of the beets)–and also provides a use for that lone cup of leftover cooked grains–all at once!
[Here's the (breakfast) dirt: you must try this. No dirt on the beets. ]
Pink Breakfast Bowl
suitable for ACD All Stages
I’ve written a recipe here, but really this cereal is infinitely adaptable: use the base ingredients of grains, beet, and milk, and add your own choice of seeds, nuts, and fresh or dried fruit (avoid the fruit in Stage 1 of the ACD). You won’t believe how delicious and satisfying this bowl is!
3/4-1 cup (180-240 ml) cooked leftover grains (quinoa, rice, millet, etc)
1 small beet, finely grated (be sure it’s fine–it will meld better with the other ingredients)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw or lightly toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or coarsely chopped walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts or other nut
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds
1/2-1 cup (120-240 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla almond, soy, rice or hemp milk
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
sprinkling hemp seeds, if desired
handful goji berries, raisins, chopped dates, etc (optional–avoid for early stages of the ACD)
milk of choice, for serving
Place all ingredients in a bowl, mix, and enjoy with a splash of your favorite milk. Makes one serving. Best eaten immediately.
This is my contribution this week to Wellness Weekend and Cybele’s Allergy-Friendly Fridays. I’m also submitting it to August’s Go Ahead, Honey, It’s Gluten Free Event, hosted by Shirley. The theme this month is “Dishes So Simple, No Recipe Required.”
Last Year at this Time: Chocolatey Fudge (ACD All Stages, GF, grain free)
Two Years Ago: Freeform Tomato Tart with “Goat Cheese” and Basil (ACD Stage 2 and beyond, GF)
Three Years Ago: So Long, Summer: Chilled Avocado Soup (ACD Stage 2 and beyond; GF)
Wow! That is beautiful!
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Ricki Reply:
September 1st, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Thanks! I love the color, too.
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I love pink!! I am learning to love beets… this sounds delicious!
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Ricki Reply:
September 1st, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Ah, yes, I knew about the pink.
I think you’ll like this. . . it just tasted sweet to me, not “beety.” 
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Kristina @ spabettie Reply:
September 1st, 2011 at 10:45 pm
good to know – I’ll give it a try!
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this is gorgeous ricki!
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Ricki Reply:
September 1st, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Aw, thanks, Jess! Isn’t nature amazing?
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Hey Ricki, What a wonderful breakfast! I had a surplus of quinoa this week, too, and since I love my oatmeal on the savoury side, I have been subbing in quinoa instead. I will definitely try it with some beets next.
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Ricki Reply:
September 1st, 2011 at 10:59 pm
Hope you like it! I much prefer my cereals sweet, so this is sweet. But you could easily make it savory, too.
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It’s very beautiful, Ricki, I can’t deny it. But … it’s beets. While I’m trying to enjoy beets, I really am, I’m afraid I’m not quite up to beets for breakfast.
I do love them raw in salads, though.
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:09 am
Andrea, you don’t know what you’re missing. Seriously.
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Carrot, zucchini, now beets I’m feeling so hippieesque adding these veggies to brekkie but I love it! The colour is gorgeous
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:09 am
You could always use other grated veggies instead, of course! I actually loved the beets in this!
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Brilliant, Ricki! I adore beet(root)s but we rarely ate them at home growing up. I’ll never forget the time, just after moving out, where I cooked and ate an entire huge bunch of beetroot in one weekend. And by I’ll never forget, I mean I’ll never forget the 3am trip to the bathroom where for a minute, I thought I was dying.
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:10 am
Yes, beets do have that effect on one’s digestive system, don’t they?
But as I said, this is a great way to START your day!
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That loosk so pretty!
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 11:07 am
Thanks, Carol.
I was always a fan of pink!
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wow, i need to try this, asap. i wish i had gotten some beets in my csa this week! soon i hope
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:52 pm
It does sound like the kind of thing you’d like, Shannon!
I love it–had it again this morning, without the grains–just chopped apple, and still tatsed amazing. Let me know what you think if you do give it a try!
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I had no idea you could eat beets raw! You learn something new every day
Thanks!
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I only discovered that a couple of years ago, too! And I actually like the way they taste better raw than cooked. Hope you like this!
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Okay, this is pretty amazing! Not sure I could do it, but I would definitely try a spoonful of yours if you were sharing
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Are you going to the Veg Fair? I’ll bring you some (ha ha!). Happy to share any time, Maggie!
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Gorgeous is right! This would be the type of breakfast that I would eat all day long.
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Ricki Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Glad you like it, Kim! I think it’s going to be my new favorite.
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[...] [...]
I never saw that one coming when I saw the title of the post – looks gorgeous though I think I prefer my raw beets in a savoury salad than with a milky cereal – though I think the beets and seeds combo sounds v good
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Ricki Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 9:06 am
You’d be surprised at how yummy this is, Johanna! And I first learned to eat raw beets from Aussies–they seem to be so prevalent down there!
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That is visually stunning! I confess, I’ve never (yet) eaten a raw beet. A must add to my bucket list.
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Ricki Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
I only just discovered them a few years ago. Never knew you could eat ‘em raw before that! Worth trying.
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Delicious…just had it for breakfast. Grated the beet on my micro-plane, fun! Been loving eating carrot beet slaw with dressing made from tahini and cider vinegar lately, so this was right up my alley. Thanks!
e
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Ooo what a great idea!! I’ve never thought to add beets to my breakfast like this.
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Ricki Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I just had it again this morning–it’s become one of my all-time favorite breakfasts!
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[...] Pink Breakfast Bowl (quinoa + beets) [...]
Now, THIS, is the kind of “pink” marketing they should be using in all those breast cancer campaigns! Something that is truly healing! I’ll have to be feeling brave to try out beets in the morning!
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Ricki Reply:
July 20th, 2012 at 10:30 am
Ha ha–hadn’t thought of that, but what a good idea!
For me, there’s no “beety” taste in the raw beets (much less than cooked ones, actually)–but maybe that’s just me! 
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