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    Home > Recipes

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut

    Published: Dec 9, 2016 · Updated: May 26, 2021 · by Veronika Sykorova · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

    957 shares
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 4.5 from 2 reviews
    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

    If you follow me on Snapchat, you probably know about my love for oatmeal. I eat it almost every single day, especially during the winter months. Today, however, I wanted to do something different and that's why I'm sharing with you this delicious Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge. It's so good, you guys! And it's such a nice change from the oats. With the coconut milk, toasted coconut, juicy figs, and chewy dates, this porridge is perfect for a crisp winter morning.

    If you're not feeling this quinoa porridge, I have eleven regular oatmeal recipes on the blog (one of which is savory) as well as three blended buckwheat porridge recipes which if you haven't tried out, you're seriously missing out (one, two, three)!

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

    Christmas is such a magical time and I've always loved everything about it. The snow, the festive songs, all the decorations, the baking, the movies, getting together with the family, the presents, and as a kid, I was happy I had a couple weeks off. When I was little I always loved making gingerbread cookies of all shapes and sized and decorating them however I wanted. Time has passed and my diet changed so this year, I'm hoping to make some gluten-free, vegan, healthy Christmas cookies (either gingerbread or anything else we used to make when I was a kid). If they're good, I might just post the recipe on here! ;) Meanwhile, you can enjoy this amazing gingerbread quinoa porridge that literally tastes like Christmas in a bowl. It's the perfect Christmas Day breakfast if you ask me.

    Fun fact: here in the Czech Republic, gingerbread cookies don't actually have any ginger in them. Crazy, right? I did add ginger to this porridge, though, because most of you aren't from the Czech Rep. and if I didn't, it'd be misleading. There are lots of variation of the "gingerbread" spice but in this recipe, I used cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise, coriander seeds, ginger, and vanilla powder. It's so good!!

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

    Can we take a moment to appreciate the cute little sleigh in these pictures??! I don't even remember where I got it. It's actually a Christmas tree ornament but it's so cute, I just have to have it in the background of my Christmas recipes.

    Anyway, I hope you love this recipe, it really is one of my faves<3 If you end up making it, don't forget to let me know how it was, I'd love to know! :)

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com
    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

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    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com
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    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: The Healthful Ideas
    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Cook Time: 12 mins
    • Total Time: 22 mins
    • Yield: 2 1x
    • Category: Breakfast
    • Method: cooking
    • Cuisine: american
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Delicious gingerbread porridge. Perfect for a cold winter morning.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ½ cup raw coconut flakes
    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 2 ½ cup almond or coconut milk (if you're doing canned coconut milk, do 1 cup milk, 1 ½ cup water)*
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • ½ tsp lemon zest
    • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
    • ½ tsp ground ginger
    • ½ tsp ground cardamom
    • ½ tsp ground coriander seeds
    • ¼-½ teaspoon ground anise
    • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
    • ½ tsp vanilla powder (or sub extract, optional)
    • 2 tbsp raw cacao powder (optional)
    • 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
    • a small handful dates, pitted and chopped (for topping)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 180C (356F).
    2. Spread the coconut flakes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for a few minutes (5-12) until they start to brown. Be sure not to burn them.
    3. Wash and drain the quinoa and cook it in the milk for about 10-15 until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Near the end of cooking add the lemon juice and lemon zest.
    4. Take off heat and add all the spices, cacao, and maple syrup. Add more of anything if you wish.
    5. Enjoy immediately with the toasted coconut, chopped dates, fresh or dried figs, and a drizzle of coconut milk.

    Notes

    You can even use leftover quinoa for this and just heat it up, add coconut milk to make it creamy and serve!

    The nutritional information is just an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information is not guaranteed. 

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    Comment and rate the recipe below and tag @thehealthfulideas on Instagram with the hashtag #thehealthfulideas, I'd love to see what you made!

    Gingerbread Quinoa Porridge with Toasted Coconut Flakes - vegan GF, and absolutely delicious. The PERFECT Christmas festive porridge! Creamy, spiced to perfection, sweet, satisfying, hearty, and filling. | thehealthfulideas.com

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    957 shares

    Comments

    1. Harmony, Momma To Go says

      December 10, 2016 at 1:21 pm

      I NEeed to check out the other oatmeal posts- not sure this one is my thing. But I love your photos I can't believe there is a place where gingerbread doesn't haven have ginger that is too funny! Happy holidays!

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 10, 2016 at 1:51 pm

        I know, right?! I guess it's just because the cookies don't have a translation and gingerbread is similar so someone was like hey, let's call these gingerbread cookies too! lol
        And thank you, you too!<3

        Reply
    2. candy says

      December 10, 2016 at 4:00 pm

      Great for breakfast. We are one of those families who like breakfast for dinner. This would go over big and be warming and filling.

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 10, 2016 at 5:18 pm

        we're totally the same! it's so delicious :)

        Reply
    3. Amanda @ Anchored to Sunshine says

      December 11, 2016 at 4:18 pm

      This looks delicious! Almost too good to eat :) You take amazing photos

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 11, 2016 at 10:08 pm

        Thank you so much Amanda! <3

        Reply
    4. Mamaguru says

      December 11, 2016 at 10:30 pm

      What a lovely recipe! I love gingerbread, and it's so nice that this is healthy!

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 11, 2016 at 11:21 pm

        Thank you! Right? Me too! :)

        Reply
    5. Katherine says

      December 18, 2016 at 8:15 pm

      This looks delicious! I've been stuck in a little breakfast rut this winter (oats are just sooo good) but this is the perfect way to change it up

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 18, 2016 at 10:20 pm

        I'm guilty of exactly the same thing but oatmeal is just too good to give up during the winter months, right? This quinoa is so tasty, you have to try it! :)

        Reply
    6. Kathryn says

      December 25, 2016 at 6:47 pm

      Love the idea of using quinoa instead of oats, perfect winter breakfast, thanks for sharing : )

      Kathryn | nimblenote.blogspot.com

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        December 25, 2016 at 7:09 pm

        Thanks, Kathryn! I've been loving having this for breakfast lately<3

        Reply
    7. Molly says

      January 02, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      I may be a little late on the festive wagon but I've been stuck in a total porridge rut this winter and this looks like the perfect recipe to switch things up. PS. Glad I discovered your blog (thanks foodgawker)- your recipes and photography are gorgeous! :)

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        January 03, 2017 at 10:25 am

        To be honest, I usually make festive meals in January too because why not! ;) And thank you so much!<3

        Reply
    8. Alyssa says

      January 03, 2017 at 1:35 am

      Would you have a recommendation for a grain other than quinoa (I've never gotten used to it) and oatmeal (the old standby)? Thanks for the recipe! It looks great, and yes, the sleigh is adorable!

      Reply
      • thehealthfulideas says

        January 03, 2017 at 10:42 am

        I'd recommend amaranth! :) It takes longer to cook than rolled oats but it's a great grain when you want to switch things up. You can cook it the day before and just heat it up with milk and spices in the morning. Another great alternative would be farro. They don't sell it where I live so I haven't been able to try it but I'm sure it'd also be great.
        Or if you normally use rolled oats, try steel cut oats, I find that they have a different texture than regular oats, they're more hearty and chewy, which I like. Soak them overnight to reduce the cooking time :)

        Reply
    9. Emily says

      May 25, 2021 at 10:36 am

      What is the nutrition information for this?

      Reply
      • Veronika | thehealthfulideas says

        May 26, 2021 at 6:22 pm

        I've updated the recipe to include the nutiriton information. :) Please keep in mind it is only an estimate.

        Reply

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    Welcome!

    I'm Veronika and The Healthful Ideas where I share original plant-based recipes for every day cooking and popular classics with a healthy twist.

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