Hot Quinoa Breakfast Porridge: Recipe 4 of 12

Welcome to Busy Women Mealtime Makeover! Whether you are one of the lovely busy ladies participating in the makeover or just interested in taking your meals up a notch – girl, do I have some rockin’ recipes for you! From now until March 2nd, I’ll be featuring twelve new delicious makeover-friendly recipes. These recipes are from other busy women like me and you! This week, we are focusing on eating more whole grains. (And if you want to join in and get the entire makeover PDF complete with meal plans, shopping lists and recipes, videos and photos of me cooking for added support, weekly emails with additional recipes and kitchen tips and tricks and access to our online forum, you can totally start a few days late – click here and sign up!)
Heather and I recently connected because our health coaching businesses are both focused on getting busy people in the kitchen cooking real food. I just adore Heather’s sense of humor and her realistic approach to cooking. Heather just launched an incredible program called the Go Feed Yourself Method. Check it out. Great stuff.
Heather, you are busy, right? How do you get a decent, healthy meal on the table? 
I keep it simple.  Easy homemade sauces + dressings (that include less than 5 ingredients) are my secret weapon.  On busy days I make healthy food in their most basic state – cook grains in plain-old water, steam some leafy green vegetables, poach an egg, steam a plain piece of wild-caught fish in a packet of parchment paper…then, I make them more exciting by drizzling a tasty sauce or topping that I whip together in less than 3 minutes. Like a lemon-dijon sauce, a thai peanut sauce, or a pesto with fresh herbs.  The easiest food is what people in my family beg for over and over.
Why do you make healthy, real food a priority in your life?
I like to say that I eat for instant gratification. Healthy food makes me feel energized, focused, and more creative – like I can take on anything.  Unhealthy food makes me feel like crap.  If I focused on losing weight or lowering my cholesterol (more long-term endeavors), I find it’s much easier to put if off until tomorrow and justify bad choices (“Oh, I’ll just eat those fries and workout for an extra 30 minutes tomorrow”).  But if I’m focused on how I want to feel right NOW, choosing healthy food is a no-brainer.  Great part is, the foods that make you feel more energized and focused are also the foods that help you stay slim, have a healthy cholesterol level, etc.  Added bonus!
What is your favorite thing to make when it is cold outside?
Soup.  I’ll make a nice big pot that will last a few days.  Roasted butternut squash is my favorite because it’s simple and has a real sweet and buttery taste all on it’s own.
What is that one thing that busy people can do this winter to eat a little healthier?
Drink a glass of water, then take a deep breath and ask yourself what does your body really want to eat right now?  I guarantee the answer will be a lot better than you think.  A vegetable-based pureed soup is great for winter because it keeps you warm and tends to keep you more satisfied when eating it at the beginning of each meal…meaning you’re less likely to overdo it with food that is more rich and heavy.
What is your favorite gadget in the kitchen?
My immersion blender!  I don’t like seeing veggies floating in my soup, the immersion blender lets me puree everything without moving them out of the pot.  Love it.  Next favorite would have to be my microplane grater – I use it for grating ginger and lemon zest into SO many dishes.
Hot Quinoa Breakfast Porridge with Flax and Walnuts
Ingredients:

Directions:
Bring quinoa, almond milk, raisins, cinnamon, walnuts, and ground flaxseeds to a boil.
Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until creamy.
Add sea salt and maple syrup to sweeten, if you’d like.

Thanks Heather! 
Heather teaches busy people how to make fast, satisfying meals that keep them productive.  She’s the creator of the Go Feed Yourself Method, a digital cooking program for entrepreneurs and professionals who need to be focused but don’t want to spend more than 20 minutes in the kitchen. It just launched so check it out!
Check out www.heatherpierceinc.com to learn more about Heather and for other easy healthy cooking videos.
**Check out all the Busy Women Mealtime Makeover recipes by clicking here.**