This gluten-free, grain-like bowl can make a great breakfast, snack, or meal anytime. It is based on amaranth, which is considered a seed, more so than a grain. It is a great way to diversify your diet and experience a new flavor, texture, and nutritional benefits.
The amaranth porridge is pleasantly sweet thanks to the whole-food goodness of bananas and uses no refined sugar or isolated sweeteners. Combined with fresh berries, it provides a rich supply of healthy carbohydrates and protein. It is naturally low in fat and sodium and free of cholesterol. This meal will provide you with lots of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
Characteristics
TYPE: Meal, Snack
PREP TIME: 5 mins from cooked amaranth / 20 mins from dry amaranth
SERVINGS: makes 2 meal servings / 4 snack servings
- 100% Whole food
- 100% Plant food (Vegan)
- Wheat-free
- Gluten-free
- Peanut-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Corn-free
- Oil-free
- Refined sugar-free
Goodies Needed*
- 1.5 cups Cooked Organic Amaranth
- 2 Organic Bananas
- 1 tsp Organic Cinnamon
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Water
- Organic Berries (i.e. fresh strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
- Optional: Organic Lucuma Powder
- Optional: Organic Cacao Nibs
TOOLS:
- High-powered blender like a Vitamix
- Pot (small or medium)
- Stove
- Utensils and spatula
Preparation Steps
- If you are starting with dry amaranth, cook at least 1 cup of dry amaranth. (You can easily cook more and have leftovers.) Follow package instructions; typically 1 cup dry seed to 1.5 cups water. Bring water to a boil, add the amaranth, reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- When you have your cooked amaranth ready, transfer about 1.5 cups of the cooked amaranth to your blender.
- Peel the two bananas, and add into the blender.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla, lucuma (optional), and water to the blender.
- Blend all the ingredients on high, until porridge is smooth enough to your liking.
- With the help of your spatula, remove the contents, and separate them into desired portions.
- Serve with fresh chopped berries, and garnish with cacao nibs and/or cinnamon if desired.
Tips
- About 1/2 cup of water makes a good consistency, but you can experiment with less water if you would prefer a thicker porridge.
- Lucuma powder is not necessary, but if you can get it easily, I recommend it as it adds a nice addition to the overall flavor.
- Alternate your berries based on your personal preferences.
- This amaranth bowl is naturally sweet thanks to the whole food goodness of fresh fruits, so there is no need to add any isolated sweeteners, like raw honey or maple syrup. Try to avoid such additions so that your taste buds enjoy the natural sweetness of real, whole food.
Meal Nutritional Benefits
Amaranth
- provides healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and is naturally low in fat
- provides antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provides vitamins, especially vitamin E and most B vitamins, including folate
- provides minerals, especially phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, and selenium
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports immune health, bone health, and digestive health
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Bananas
- provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
- provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provide vitamins, including vitamin A, C, E, K, and most B vitamins
- provide minerals, including potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support healthy digestion, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Cinnamon
- not a significant source of calories or macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein)
- provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties
- provides vitamins, including vitamin A, K, and some B vitamins
- provides minerals, especially calcium, potassium, and iron
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports optimal digestion and immune protection
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Vanilla
- provides antioxidants and phytonutrients, like vanilloids, and has anti-inflammatory benefits
- provides some B vitamins
- provides some minerals, especially manganese, potassium, copper, and magnesium
- supports healing, prevention, and overall health
- supports cardiovascular and nervous system health Tips: Use the vanilla bean directly or choose pure, natural, and organic vanilla extracts. Avoid synthetic vanilla and similar artificial vanilla products.
Strawberries
- provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
- provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, E, K, and some B vitamins, including folate
- provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support optimal digestion, cleansing, and detoxification
- support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
- protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Lucuma
- provides healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and protein, and is virtually fat-free
- provides antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provides vitamins, especially vitamin C and many B vitamins
- provides minerals, especially potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol
- supports optimal immune health, digestive health, and skin health
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