Breakfast should be nourishing. It should kickstart your day in a warm, comforting way that both satisfies your hunger, but also gives you the energy you need to do what you need to do. This warm grain bowl does all of that and more…
A hearty blend of oats, quinoa, pearled barley, flaxseeds and chia seeds is simmered in almond milk to create a protein packed, fiber filled, nutrient rich porridge that will give your body what it needs to start your day off right.
I use this warm grain bowl for meal prepping and will explain what I do to make both a large batch and breakfast for two. All you’ll need to do is simmer the grains, simmer some berries and enjoy a truly wonderful meal.
Let’s get started…
This recipe is really basic. I enjoy the flavors and textures of the grains and feel that the berries bring enough sweetness to the bowl that I do not need to add any additional sugar. So all you need to make these grain bowls will be some old fashioned oats, quinoa, pearled barley, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, almond milk and salt. If you prefer your grains to be sweet, a few tablespoons of honey or maple syrup will work beautifully.
In addition to the grains, we will be adding a simple berry compote to bring another layer of texture and flavor, additional sweetness and a beautiful pop of color.
Before we get started, let’s figure out how much you want to make.
Following the recipe below will give you 10 servings and I know that sounds like a lot, but that is a weeks worth of breakfasts for my husband and I, a couple of days worth for a small family or breakfast for a big family.
1 cup of old fashioned oats, 1 cup of quinoa, 1/2 cup of pearled barley and 1/2 cup of ground flaxseeds.
Now if you only need breakfast for one, I added a single serving recipe below the original recipe at the bottom of this page.
We are going to start with simmering the grains. The berries cook up quickly, so they can be made while the grains are cooking.
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- To make this grain bowl for two, add 1 1/2 cups of almond milk into a saucepan over medium heat and as soon as it begins to simmer, add 1/2 cup of your grain mixture. (see single serve recipe below)
- To make a large batch, add 6 cups of almond milk in a large pot placed over medium heat. As soon as it begins to simmer, add all of the oats, quinoa, pearled barley and flaxseeds.
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Cover the pot and simmer the grains for 10 minutes.
While the grains are simmering, let’s make the berries…
In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of halved strawberries, 3/4 cup of blackberries, 3/4 cup of blueberries, 3/4 cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and a splash of cranberry juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
In a small dish, whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cranberry juice and once the sugar has dissolved, whisk this into the berries. Let the berries simmer for another 30 seconds or so and then transfer them off of the heat to cool while we finish the grains.
After the grains have simmered for 10 minutes, whisk in 1/4 cup of chia seeds (1-2 teaspoons if making a smaller batch) and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you prefer your grains to be sweet.
Simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so or until the grains are tender. Add additional almond milk as necessary.
Note: I end up using an entire 64 ounce container of almond milk when making the full batch. I do not add it all at one time, but I end up adding more as the grain mixture absorbs most of it. The amount you add will depend on how thick or thinned you prefer your grains to be.
Once the grains are tender, ladle them into a bowl along with some of the simmered berries. I also add a dollop of greek yogurt and some granola, but this is totally optional.
This warm grain bowl is just wonderful. There is something quite comforting about the combination of tenderly puffed up oats, the texture of simmered quinoa and barley and the flax and chia seeds. So much texture and homey goodness in each bite.
Whether you make the whole batch or simmer your grains up a serving at a time, this warm grain bowl with berries is like the a warm hug that every day should start with. You are going to love it…
Warm Grain Bowl with Berries
Ingredients
Berry Compote
- 3 heaping cups of fresh berries, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons of cranberry juice
Grain Bowl
- 8 cups of almond milk (unsweetened vanilla is preferred)
- 1 cup of old fashioned oats
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1/2 cup of pearled barley
- 1/2 cup of ground flaxseeds (flaxmeal)
- 1/4 cup of chia seeds
- a pinch of salt
- 2-4 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup (optional)
Add Ins
- greek yogurt
- granola
Instructions
Make the berry compote...
- Combine the fruit, lemon zest, sugar, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cranberry juice in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat
- Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cranberry juice and whisk until smooth
- Once the berry mixture is simmering and the sugar has dissolved, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 30 seconds
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the berry compote into a glass bowl to cool for 5 minutes before using
Make the grains...
- Bring 6 cups of almond milk to a simmer over medium heat
- Add 1 cup of old fashioned oats, 1 cup of quinoa, 1/2 cup of pearled barley and 1/2 cup of ground flaxseeds and cook for about 10 minutes
- Stir in 1/4 cup of chia seeds and 2-4 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want your grains to be) and cook for another 5 minutes adding additional almond milk to loosen as necessary
Assemble the bowls...
- Spoon some of the warm grains into a bowl and top with berry compote
- Garnish with a dollop of greek yogurt and some granola
- Store leftovers in an airtight container
- Reheat with a splash of almond milk
Warm Grain Bowl with Berries - Single Serving
Ingredients
Berry Compote
- 1 heaping cup of fresh berries, stems removed
- 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- a pinch of fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of cranberry juice
Grain Bowl
- 1 1/2-2 cups of almond milk
- 3 tablespoons of old fashioned oats
- 3 tablespoons of quinoa
- 1 tablespoon of pearled barley
- 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed (flaxmeal)
- 1 teaspoon of chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup (optional)
- a pinch of salt
Add Ins
- greek yogurt
- granola
Instructions
Make the berry compote...
- Combine the fruit, lemon zest, sugar, vanilla extract and about a teaspoon of cranberry juice in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat
- Combine 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch with about 2 teaspoons of cranberry juice and whisk until smooth
- Once the berry mixture is simmering and the sugar has dissolved, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 30 seconds
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the berry compote into a glass bowl to cool for 5 minutes before using
Cook the grains...
- Bring 1 1/2 cups of almond milk to a simmer over medium heat
- Add 3 tablespoons of old fashioned oats, 3 tablespoons of quinoa, 1 tablespoon of pearled barley and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and cook covered for about 10 minutes
- Stir in a teaspoon of chia seeds and a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup and cook for another 5 minutes adding additional almond milk to loosen as necessary
Assemble the bowl...
- Transfer the warm grains into a bowl and top with berry compote
- Garnish with a dollop of greek yogurt and some granola
- Enjoy!
