By naturopath Sandra Villella

Ingredients 2 cups cooked quinoa* 1 cup soy milk/skim milk/rice milk 1 cup plain wholemeal spelt flour (can be substituted with plain wholemeal wheat flour) 1 cup mixed seeds (sunflower, pepitas, sesame, linseeds) 1 cup any combination of dried fruit (currants, sultanas, dried apricots) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 Granny Smith apple, grated ½ cup shredded coconut ½ cup of walnuts, roughly chopped 1 egg 2 teaspoons baking powder
Method Soak cooked quinoa, seeds and dried fruit in milk for 1-2 hours. Add sifted flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir to combine. Mix in grated apple, coconut, egg and walnuts. Put in lined loaf tin, bake in 180⁰C oven for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely (unless wishing to serve hot) before cutting into thick slices, which can be frozen and toasted in the mornings.		Serving suggestions Eat plain or spread with nutspread, low fat ricotta or cottage cheese. (The cheese options will provide some calcium.)

* Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a highly nutritious ancient grain which is gluten-free, low Glycaemic Index (GI) and high in protein. It is available in the health food section of supermarkets and specialist health food shops. To cook quinoa, rinse 1 cup of quinoa under water, then put in a saucepan with 2 cups of water, with the lid on. Bring to boil and simmer (absorption method) until water is absorbed (about 10 minutes). The volume of the quinoa will double when cooked.

Nutritional information

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many people still skip this meal; running around looking after other family members, sacrificing breakfast for extra sleep, or simply because “there is nothing in the house.” This loaf encompasses all the ingredients of a wholesome muesli but enriched with high protein “cereal” quinoa (quinoa is a pseudo cereal and is actually a seed), creating a convenient moist loaf with no added sugar- oh and it’s tasty!

As for the other ingredients, the seeds are excellent sources of soluble fibre and essential fatty acids; the walnuts a source of omega 3 fatty acids; the dried fruit and apple provide natural sweetness and the coconut just adds to the lovely taste.

I have often made this loaf for new mothers, as breakfast can sometimes be neglected as mum attends to the demands of a newborn. A slice or two taken from the freezer and toasted can keep mum going until the next break.

Content updated November 2011