Now you can have chocolate for breakfast and never think twice. This supercharged, healthy chocolate quinoa breakfast bowl recipe will be sure to satisfy!
Can you think of anything better than hot chocolate for breakfast?! The kid in me thinks this is a dream come true!
When we were little, hot chocolate was something we looked forward to anytime it snowed. We knew that once we were done playing in the fresh powder, building snowmen, sledding and tubing down our hill and chasing each other with snowballs, we'd come back inside to a steaming cup of hot cocoa.
It's just one of those things that instantly makes me feel good inside. It's creamy, rich, sweet and everything I love about winter.
I figured why not reimagine this winter classic and turn it into a cozy breakfast bowl? So let me introduce you to these healthy Hot Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.
The Best Chocolate Breakfast Recipe
Chocolate is one of those things that you're totally don't associate with breakfast. Well, at least I don't. Chocolate means sweet treat in my world – it's something you have as a treat, not as a way to start your day. Right?
Acutally…NO! Chocolate is rich in nutrients and is actually a great thing to add to your morning routine.
Not only is chocolate energizing (it has a touch of caffeine for that), but it's also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All of which are amazing for your body. So rather than saving chocolate for an after-dinner treat, let's whip up a super-charged, chocolate-filled, insanely-decadent breakfast, that is packed with superfood ingredients and actually good for you. Sound good?
How to make a Healthy Breakfast
For most, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's how you set the tone for your day ahead. When you eat something healthy for breakfast, you feel better all day long. When you eat something crappy and loaded with sugar, you'll probably be napping by 10am (if you even last that long).
So when I'm creating a healthy breakfast, I think of my macronutrients in this order:
- protein
- fat
- carbohydrates
I focus mostly on filling my plate (or bowl) with protein, then make sure to get in some healthy fats and finally, the carbohydrates. Now you might be wondering the exact numbers of each, and I'll be honest and tell you that I don't calculate those. And since every person is different, even if I did give you a number it might not be the best for your body.
So instead, just thinking of them in a priority level, I know that I'll be fueling my body in a way that keeps me feeling full, satisfied and energized all day long.
How to make Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
With this recipe, we've been able to turn hot chocolate into a healthy, breakfast-approved meal. It's thick, creamy, sweet (but not overly so), rich, filling, lick-your-lips-good…okay, you get the picture.
The base of this quinoa breakfast bowl is actually quinoa flakes. I love using quinoa flakes for breakfast because they're like oats only higher in protein and cook quicker. You can cook quinoa flakes in about 90 seconds!
From there, we've got our raw cacao powder, some protein powder (which is optional but again, makes it more filling) and banana which is helping with the sweetness. Then just whisk it up with some unsweetened almond milk, stir it until it's thick and your breakfast is ready!
Since I wanted this to feel like a mug of hot chocolate, we're topping it with some coconut yogurt (our whipped cream) and chocolate chips. It adds just a touch of richness, but still keeping it nice and healthy. This really is the ultimate breakfast treat!
Other Healthy Chocolate Breakfast Recipes
- Healthy Chocolate Muffins with a Raspberry Swirl
- Raspberry Dark Chocolate Overnight Quinoa
- High Protein Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Raspberry Chia Parfaits
Healthy Hot Chocolate Breakfast Cereal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup quinoa flakes
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 medium banana mashed
- 2 tablespoons coconut yogurt (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips (for topping)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan (minus the yogurt and chocolate chips). Whisk together until fully incorporated.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer until desired consistency, 2 - 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl, top with yogurt and chocolate chips, and enjoy!
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Great idea! No share button? :O)
Hmm…used to have those! I’ll have to look into it 🙂
Well this just looks AWESOME:) I love baking with quinoa flakes but rarely make it hot like oatmeal. I need to do this more often, thanks for the inspiration!:) Have a lovely day!
Hi Alyssa, what if I don’t have acai juice? Is there another substitute I can use? No apologies necessary; I love chocolate ANY time. I only eat dark chocolate so I always keep it healthy. The darker better, at least 70% cacao content is my preference. If you really want to go decadent, my favorite unsweetened cocoa powders are: Scharffen Berger, Green & Black, Guittard, and Ghiradelli brands. You can also find pure cacoa powder in some of the healthy grocery stores but it’s expensive ($9 for 8 oz.) – Ouch!
Thanks for all the quinoa recipes. I really enjoy them all!
Hi Susan! I think you could just use extra nut milk, but might want to add a little more sweetness – you could add honey or even more stevia. I get my cocoa powder at Trader Joes 🙂 xo!
It is hard to judge the healthiness of this recipe by the ingredients alone – could you provide the calories and nutrition content?
Hi there – thanks for your note! I don’t provide nutrition facts for my recipes, but there are a bunch of tools out there that you can use for free. Just a quick Google search and you can copy and paste the ingredients in there and then it will tell you everything. Hope that helps!
Yowsers girl! No you dinnit! Im generally not a chocolate fan but if it isnt too sweet I may give it a whirl. You communicate your passion with extaordinary quality and I love stocking you for it.
This is now my go-to breakfast. I’ve been eating it every single day for weeks. Either I’m just boring, or chocolate addiction is a real thing 😉
Well this recipe is worth a try and could very well be a winner. Nothing wrong with natural. 😉
This looks and sounds soooo good! Can’t wait to try it!
Wow, I have been looking for a great breakfast for these winter mornings. I am up & out early for usually 8 or so miles. This is my new go to breakfast! Thank you sooooo much. Looking foward to more vegan breakfast recipes soon! Would love something with lots of cinnamon!!!
You’re in luck! In the next few months I’m coming out with a breakfast cookbook – over 75 brand new recipes. With vegan options in there as well 🙂 And glad you like this. I eat it practically every morning!
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I am really excited about this! It sounds like a fabulous addition to the small list of breakfast items my son will eat! I would like to omit the protein powder. Any suggestions for substitution?
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This was SO quick and yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe! I make a batch and eat it all week! Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 xox
Hi, can I sub regular quinoa for the quinoa flakes if I don’t have flakes on hand? This looks so good
Thanks!
You can, but the texture won’t be the same and the cooking time will be pretty different! I’d suggest quick cooking oats if you don’t have quinoa flakes 🙂
Your breakfast foods look delicious!!! 🤤
Thanks so much!! Can’t wait for you to try some!