Hot Quinoa and Oat Cereal with Goji Berries

Hot quinoa and oat cereal with goji berries

This is one of my go-to overnight breakfasts and I make this at least 2 times a month. It only takes 5 minutes to prep the night before and 6-8 minutes to heat up in the morning. I love that this breakfast is gluten-free and dairy-free, and I can add in healthy fats and pair it with season fruits and chia seed to give me energy to do all that I have to do in a given day!  It’s the perfect breakfast to serve up on a fall and winter morning.

overnight oats with goji berries
hot quinoa and oat cereal with goji berries:

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit 
Makes 4 servings

  • 4 cups (32-ounces) filtered water
  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
  • 1/2 cup well rinsed quinoa – I love the brand from Ancient Harvest, as it’s pre-washed so you don’t have to rinse it
  • 1/2 cup dried goji berries
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or pink Himalayan sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, I love using Ceylon cinnamon as it’s less intense in flavor and healthier

Toppings:

  • Fresh fruit such as; strawberries, blueberries, smashed raspberries, blackberries, sliced banana, or sautéed cinnamon apples
  • Blackberry chia compote – no added sugar I do this in the fall and winter months where there isn’t fresh fruit as it uses frozen berries
  • Spoonful of almond butter, walnut butter or peanut-butter – I am obsessed with this almond butter from Sam’s Adventure Snacks. It’s locally made in SF and has the perfect consistency and the sea salt really amplifies the flavor. 
  • Maple syrup or honey – I love Manuka honey
  • I love this tahini with dates from SoCo, use code THANKS for 20% off
  • ground flax meal
  • unsweetened coconut flakes

Get out a medium saucepan or Dutch oven and add in 4 cups water, 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup steel-cut oats, 1/2 cup goji berries, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Stir to combine.

quinoa oat cereal with goji berries mixed in pot
Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Don’t stray to far as this comes to a boil within 5 minutes or so.

quinoa oat cereal with goji berries cooking in pot
When it comes to a full boil, turn off the heat, give it a quick stir, cover and then let it sit out overnight.  Yep, that’s all there is to it. Easy peasy. Goodnight!

Green pot on the stove
Good morning!When you wake up and patter into the kitchen, open the lid and this is what you will see.  The quinoa and steel-cut oats have absorbed all of the water, genius.

hot quinoa oat cereal with goji berries ini pot

Take off the lid, give the cereal a quick stir and set the heat to medium-low.  Stir occasionally, adding water if needed, until the cereal is warmed through, about 5-8 minutes.

Please note that the cereal will naturally thicken up as it sits and cools. 

Scoop the cereal into a bowl and pair it with anything your heart desires, or any of the above toppings. In the fall I love topping mine with sautéed cinnamon apples, walnut butter and some chia.

Sautéed cinnamon apples

Got leftovers?  Just re-heat the cereal in a sauce pan with a bit of almond milk (or milk of choice) over medium-low heat.  The cereal will thicken as it sits, so you will want to add a bit of water or almond milk to thin it up as it’s cooking.

This cereal is the perfect cereal to bring as a hostess gift, teacher gift, or to take with you on a trip (provided you have a stove and pan). All you do is get a cute jar, or container with a lid, add in the dry ingredients and then cap it off. Everything is set to go and all you need to do is add 4 cups water when you’re ready to make it.

hot quinoa oat cereal with goji berries in a jar
If you like the thought of quinoa in the morning, but are short on time, or didn’t plan ahead, then you have to try my 5 minute hot quinoa cereal.  This seriously takes 5-minutes from start to finish!

5 minute quinoa flakes topped with smashed raspberries walnut butter and unsweetened coconut

I love making this 5 minute warm quinoa cereal when I have leftover quinoa. It’s perfect for those busy fall and winter mornings. 

5 minute warm quinoa cereal in a bowl.

Here’s another easy overnight recipe for cooking up steel cut oats. Easy overnight steel cut oats.

Easy overnight steel cut oats

If you don’t feel like oats, then try my overnight buckwheat porridge. 

Overnight buckwheat porridge.

Toasted overnight steel cut oats. Toasting the oats in butter adds a new depth of flavor and richness, as well as a chewier and nuttier taste and texture. Double YUM!

Toasted overnight steel cut oats
Another one of my favorite go-to healthy breakfasts are these almond flour pancakes. They’re packed with protein and will keep you going all morning long!

almond flour pancakes stacked with bowl of blueberry compote and jar of milk

With love Jackie

Hot Quinoa and Oat Cereal with Goji Berries

5.0 from 1 vote
Recipe by Jackie
Servings

4

servings

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups (32-ounces) filtered water

    • ½ cup steel-cut oats

    • ½ cup well rinsed quinoa - I love the brand from Ancient Harvest, as it's pre-washed so you don't have to rinse it

    • ½ cup dried goji berries

    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or pink Himalayan sea salt

    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - I love using Ceylon cinnamon as it's less intense in flavor and healthier

    • Toppings
    • Fresh fruit such as; strawberries, blueberries, smashed raspberries, blackberries, sliced banana or sautéed cinnamon apples

    • Blackberry chia compote – no added sugar I do this in the fall and winter months where there isn’t fresh fruit as it uses frozen berries

    • Spoonful of almond butter, walnut butter or peanut-butter – I am obsessed with this almond butter from Sam’s Adventure Snacks. It’s locally made in SF and has the perfect consistency and the sea salt really amplifies the flavor. 

    • Maple syrup or honey – I love Manuka honey

    • I love this tahini with dates from SoCo, use code THANKS for 20% off

    • unsweetened coconut flakes

    • ground flax meal

    Directions

    • Get out a medium saucepan or Dutch oven and add in 4 cups water, ½ cup quinoa, ½ cup steel-cut oats, ½ cup goji berries, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

    • Stir to combine.

    • Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Don't stray to far as this comes to a boil within 5 minutes or so.

    • When it comes to a full boil, turn off the heat, give it a quick stir, cover and then let it sit out overnight.

    • In the morning, remove the lid, give the cereal a quick stir and set the heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally, adding water if needed, until the cereal is warmed through, about 5-8 minutes.

    • Scoop the mixture into a bowl and pair it with anything your heart desires, or any of the above toppings. In the fall I love topping mine with sautéed cinnamon apples, walnut butter and some chia. Please note that the cereal will naturally thicken up as it sits and cools.

    • Got leftovers? Just re-heat the cereal in a sauce pan with a bit of almond milk (or milk of choice) over medium-low heat. The cereal will thicken as it sits, so you will want to add a bit of water or almond milk to thin it up as it's cooking.

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      36 thoughts on “Hot Quinoa and Oat Cereal with Goji Berries”

      1. okay i must make these pronto. as in got to get dried goji berries NOW! I have no idea where to get them though- the internet? We do not – not ever- have those in our stores or the market. Hummm? Must think about this while at the same time think about how lovely and warm and inviting this would be to wake up to! Motivation to get the berries

        1. Hi Jessica. You really can use any dry fruit in the cereal. I just used goji berries because chock full of antioxidants. You could use dry cranberries, blueberries or barberries. I will update the post so that people know that. Don’t you have a Whole Foods down there? If not, then you can certainly order these on-line at Amazon! Have a great day girlfriend 🙂

      2. Yum, so glad you posted this! I think I’m going to try it this weekend. I love your story about you being a cereal girl. I’m so not, I love eggs or protein smoothie in the morning, have to have the higher protein. But I do love hot cereal like on the weekend and this looks so hearty, healthy, and best of all delicious! Also good to know about that brand of quinoa. I get one that you have to rinse. Anything that saves a step is good in my book!
        Thanks for stopping by and commenting on the mirrors. I left you a reply back but I forgot to mention that you can see a little bit of the new bamboo roman blinds in the mirror reflection. I love them! 🙂
        Okay Sunshine, I’ve got to get going. It’s mammogram day for me so I’ll be heading out soon. Talk to you later! xoxo, Sharon

        1. Ugh, mammograms, not the most exciting way to spend an afternoon, but its always good to get these things done. Zoe and Eli are egg white fans. I fry up 4 egg whites for them every morning and they pair that with either toast or cereal. I prefer eggs more at lunchtime,but in the morning time they just don’t taste good to me. When we go out to breakfast somewhere I always order the steel-cut oats. Yes, make your life easier and get the no-rinse quinoa! It has saved me so much time! I hope all goes well for you today 🙂

      3. Hey mountain mama! I was a bit surprised that I had the cardamom, as I don’t remember using it in anything before. It must have been something John picked up for one of his recipes. Let me know what you think, as well as what you add to it! You always have great ideas! 🙂

      4. Hi Jackie! I just made this for breakfast and it was so delicious I had to tweet about it!! I used cranberries in place of the goji and it worked well. Topped if off with brown sugar and walnuts – oh my! Can’t wait for breakfast again tomorrow 🙂

        1. I just saw your tweet Cheryl! Thanks so much for the shout out. I’m so glad you loved this cereal. I love your additions and I actually tried brown sugar on mine this morning as well (great minds think alike) and I loved it. I think I will add that to the above post. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts and additions to the recipe. I know it helps readers to see what people think, as well as what they add or change to a recipe. You’re the best 🙂

      5. oh yum yum yum!! Oatmeal used to be my total go to breakfast and I loved cooking it up with the raisins so that they got all puffy again and also made the water they were cooked in go sweet as well. I bet this would be delicious topped with some cream in addition to the maple syrup! Oh I cannot wait to get back into my cooking grooove. I also totally still owe you that email Im always going on about – but I also know youre a laid back chick about stuff like that :). STILL so much to tell. Love you always xoxo

        1. Hey Emmie! Yes, cream would be good and so rich! Yum! No rush on the proper email. You’re a working woman right now, and I get it. I will email you because I do have two simple questions for you! Miss you my London friend 🙂

      6. i am so excited to have this in the morning!! Everything just boiled and it will all sit overnight!! Yum!! Thank you for having a video on how to cut squash!! That was very helpful!!
        love,
        deb

      7. you are amazing!!! can’t wait to try… can i ask, though – i have a boatload of “quick” steel cut oats (Coach’s oats from Costco)….do you have any ideas on how i could use those instead of regular steel cut? Do you think i could substitute them into your recipe? or maybe add them in closer to the end of the cooking process? thank you!!! :D, christina

        1. Hi Christina! You asked a tough question as I’m not to familiar with instant steel-cut oats. I know that steel cut oats are hard little pellets and really need a good amount of water and time to soften up. I don’t know what instant ones look like nor do I know how they cook up. I don’t want to say, go for it and add them at the end, if it’s not a good idea. I would advise trying this recipe with the regular old steel-cut oats and save the instant for those days when you just want a quick and easy bowl of oats. I know that’s not much of an answer, but I also don’t want to have you waste all of those other ingredients if it’s not going to work! If you do try it with the instant oats, let me know how it goes! Have a great day girl!

      8. I am such a creature of habit too…especially breakfast…my go to is old fashioned oats, wheat germ, flax & agave. I can eat that every morning…especially in the winter when it is so cold here…in the summer I flip over to smoothies 🙂 I love quinoa so you may get me to change now! And I love when you can put all the ingredients in a pot and let it cook overnight…wake up to a fresh meal. love that!!!

        1. Hey girl! Your breakfast of choice sounds great and right up my alley. Speaking of smoothies, I’m about to whip one up for the kids as I write this. Try the quinoa version, you will love it and what’s great about it, is that you can add anything to it. Have a great weekend 🙂

      9. Great recipe! Have you ever tried using almond milk with the steel cut oats and/or quinoa & not cooking it? Would it turn out the same or would it turn out funky?

        Love your pictures & great instructions!

        1. Hi Journey, love your name btw! I have actually tried throwing my steel cut oats in the fridge overnight with almond milk. It was good, but I wasn’t in love with it because it was a bit chewy and really didn’t do it for me. I was going to try the overnight oats with yogurt and regular old oats, I hear that is good. Thanks for your sweet comment about the steps and pics! Let me know what you think when you try the cereal! xoxo, Jackie

          1. I’ve been topping my oatmeal with Greek yogurt for years. For years I would eat nothing but instant Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal Quaker brand. I discovered steel cut oats several months ago and now I Won’t Go Back. I thin out the yogurt with milk or lately I’ve been using Natural Bliss vanilla creamer soooo good. The yogurt adds a ton of protein if you get Greek yogurt so it’s even pretty healthy. I cook my oatmeal with maple extract. Add a touch of honey to the finish oatmeal and you have superior “Maple and Brown Sugar” oatmeal.

      10. Sprouts carries gogi berries in their bins:) 15.99 a pound they are yummy! Recipe sounds delicious cant wait to try it !

        1. Hi Linda! Gogi berries are not cheap. I think I pay $9.99 for an 8oz bag, but they do last me a couple of weeks, so to me it’s worth it. I eat them as a snack with almonds and dark chocolate as well as use them in this cereal and my 5 minute hot quinoa cereal. I hope you enjoy this cereal! 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

      11. loved reading remarks about quinoa. i’ve been wanting to try it in salads. also the gogi berries. haven’t found either yet (haven’t looked). we don’t have any of that kind of stores in fort pierce, fl. was prepared to do the steel cut tonight but now just want to get in bed.

      12. Matt Tilden Ottawa Cda

        Wow, I can’t believe that I read someone else had such love for Grape Nuts. My wife finds them awful. Up here in Canada many grocery stores didn’t carry them. When I did find them, they were always tucked away somewhere. I once bought a half dozen boxes as a gift for my Dad – we both loved the cereal. As a kid, I would pick blueberry’s off the bushes around our cottage and share them with my old man eating our cereal together – good memories. Haven’t eaten GN in years, with a recent case of a flora imbalance, I’ve been looking for solutions for my gut problem and decided I would take a break from grain based cereals, hence the current search and find of your quinoa cereals. Thanks much fellow kin to GN love 😉

        1. Hi Matt! Thanks so much for sharing your Grape Nut story with me! I love hearing that I’m not the only Grape Nut addict out there 🙂
          Isn’t it funny how something so simple as cereal can trigger happy memories across the span? Sadly, my kids share the same view as your wife when it comes to Grape Nuts, they think they taste like cardboard! 🙂 I hope you enjoy the quinoa flakes. Try topping them with peanut butter. It’s a winning combination! xoxo, Jacquelyn

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