Sweet Potato Bacon Breakfast

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 c water
1/2 c juice of choice (I use a berry juice blend)

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, to taste

1 package bacon
1/4 c dried berries of choice (I use mixed berries and cherries.)


Preheat oven to 450.

Add 1/2 c quinoa, 1/2 c water, and 1/2 juice to a small sauce pan, bring to boil over medium heat.  Reduce to simmer, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Chop sweet potato into bite sized pieces, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to coat.  Spread in single layer on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.

Place large skillet over medium heat.  I open my package of bacon and use kitchen scissors to snip it into bite sized pieces directly into the hot pan, but you can also use a good old fashioned knife at the cutting board.  Brown bacon over medium heat.  Move bacon onto paper towel lined plate to drain when done, reserve 1-2 tbsp of the drippings.

When the quinoa has finished, add the reserved bacon drippings and 1/4 dried berries.  Stir and put the lid back on to steam.  Allow to sit while the sweet potatoes finish.

When the sweet potatoes are done add them to the large skillet the bacon was cooked it, adding the bacon back in along with the rested quinoa and berry blend.  Stir to combine.  Serve.

Made carefully this recipe is free of the top 8, but full of flavor.  All measurements can be adjusted to suit your family size and tastes.  I love the way this recipe can flex to  feed more people by adding a bit of extra quinoa and/or sweet potato, using different fruits and juices based on what I have on hand, and even different grains!  I often use a three grain blend with quinoa, millet, and buckwheat, but you could use any grain that your family loves.  You can even leave the grain out altogether and stir in some chopped spinach instead.  Play with it, make it your family's favorite way to start the day!