I hung up the phone, pensive. My sister had told me about some changes she made to her eating habits, and I couldn’t help but think about how far my own eating habits have slipped. Yikes!

One of my favourite healthy foods – something we used to eat all the time – is quinoa. I’m not going to lie. Quinoa is a bit of an acquired taste. But it’s a super grain, packed with good-for-you things like protein, fibre, iron, and other essential nutrients. You can use it in place of rice or potatoes at dinner; you can make a salad out of it for lunch; and it also is a great way to start your day.

Crockpot quinoa porridge anyone? I think so! Last night, I threw some quinoa into the crock pot. I also added psyllium husk, which is another good source of fibre, and a small amount of kasha, which is chock full of magnesium and other vitamins and minerals.

Here is a close approximation of the recipe:

Crockpot Quinoa Porridge

• 1-1/2 cups of quinoa, rinsed
• 3-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup dried berries (raisins, cranberries, blueberries)
• 1 Tbsp psyllium husk
• 1/4 cup kasha
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup

Put all the ingredients in the crockpot. Turn the crockpot to the keep warm setting and cook for 9 hours.

Dish it out, pour milk over it, and garnish with walnuts or pecans.

Enjoy!