fbpx

Apple Pear Quinoa Bake

Apple Pear Quinoa Bake

Created by Ashley at EdiblePerspective.com This Apple Pear Quinoa Bake can be prepped ahead and feed a crowd, which makes it perfect for breakfast when your house is full with holiday guests. For Quinoa Flakes cooking instructions and recipe ideas, visit our How To Use Quinoa Flakes page.

Prep Time: 25
Total Time: 60

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, divided
  • 1 cup uncooked Ancient Harvest Harmony Quinoa — or any other color quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, divided — or soy, or 2%
  • ⅓ cup well-mashed banana
  • ¼ cup creamy almond butter
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup Ancient Harvest™ quinoa flakes
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax meal
  • 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large pear
  • 2 medium apples
  • 1 ½ tablespoons muscovado sugar, or brown sugar, or pure cane sugar
  • ¾ – 1 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans
  • optional toppings: maple syrup and full-fat coconut milk or half & half

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375° F.
  2. Place ½ tablespoon coconut oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Once hot stir in the quinoa then pour in the water and 1 cup of milk.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, stir once, then cover with a tight fitting lid for 10 minutes. Be sure to keep at a constant simmer. Do not stir or remove lid while cooking.
  4. After 10 minutes remove the lid, stir, and set aside. The quinoa will not be fully cooked and there will be liquid left in the pan.
  5. While the quinoa cooks whisk together 1 ½ cups milk, the banana, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
  6. Whisk in the quinoa flakes, flax, cinnamon, and salt until just combined. Set aside.
  7. Heat a 12-inch cast iron (or other oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat with 1 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil.
  8. While the pan heats slice your apples and pear into 4 large pieces to remove the core. Lay each piece on their flat side and cut into 1/8-1/4 inch slices.
  9. Place the apples in the pan and sprinkle with the sugar. Toss to coat and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until just starting to soften and lightly brown.
  10. Add in the pears and toss to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring a few times. Do not overcook the fruit.
  11. Scoop out about 1/4 of the fruit and place in a bowl.
  12. Pour the partially cooked quinoa into the banana mixture and whisk to combine the two.
  13. Pour the quinoa banana mixture over the fruit in the pan and then place the remaining fruit on top of the mixture.
  14. Sprinkle with pecans and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. The edges and top should be golden brown and the top will feel just set to the touch. The edges may be bubbly but it will firm a bit once it rests.
  15. Let rest for about 5-8 minutes to help thicken and then serve with a large spoon.
  16. Top with maple syrup and full-fat coconut milk or half & half if desired.
  17. Let leftovers cool then store in a sealed container in the fridge for about 4 days.

Recipe Tips:
If you don’t have a 12-inch oven-safe pan you can use an 9×13 baking dish instead. Grease the bottom and sides with coconut oil then spread ¾ of the cooked fruit mixture around the pan. Continue with step 12 to 15.
Or, you can feel free to use a mixed assortment of pan sizes if desired. Fill each pan/dish about 2-inches thick with the mixture. If filling ramekins or smaller baking dishes bake time may decrease by a few minutes.
The end result should be a bit thicker in texture than porridge, similar to if you’ve ever made a large oatmeal bake.
I’ve had the bake time vary quite a bit as it seems that the quinoa doesn’t always absorb the same amount of liquid when you cook it for 10 minutes. Check the bake after 20 minutes in the oven and assess.
The banana flavor is slight but if you don’t want any banana flavor sub in unsweetened pumpkin puree and add 1 tablespoon extra maple syrup.
Feel free to add in other spices like ginger, nutmeg, clove, etc.