Last year over July 4th weekend, I prepared a red, white and blue parfait with buckwheat and fruit puddings. I didn’t make anything with quite so patriotic a color scheme this year, but I did make a tasty breakfast over the holiday weekend, and it also took the form of a parfait. This one was a quinoa, avocado vanilla pudding, and berry parfait, and I think it’s going to be a new breakfast favorite.
I am no stranger to the delights of avocado pudding, though I typically enjoy it in the chocolate variety (see my chocomole post here). That said, said, avocados blend up nicely with berries, bananas and other fruits, and as I just discovered, they also taste wonderful with fresh vanilla bean. The pudding in this parfait would also make a nice snack, a refreshing dessert, or a nice breakfast component. If you don’t have fresh vanilla bean, vanilla extract is totally fine.
| Quinoa, Avocado Vanilla Pudding, and Berry Breakfast Parfait (GF) | Print |
- 1 large Haas avocado, pit removed and flesh scooped out
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out, or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup almond milk + extra as needed
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups berries of choice (sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
- Blend all pudding ingredients in a high speed blender till smooth. Add more almond milk as needed.
- Layer a quarter cup of quinoa at the bottom of a clear glass or mug. Place a ¼ cup of the pudding over the quinoa, then top with a quarter cup of berries. Repeat the layers, then repeat the whole process in your three additional mugs.
This is equally adorable with blueberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Choose whichever you like the best. I hope you all had lovely holiday weekends, and that you’ll enjoy this unique breakfast as much as I do!
xo
Images courtesy of Lighter.
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You could put avocados on a shingle and I would still think it was delicious, so this looks pretty darn good (although I would omit the fruit as I not that into super sweet.) Anyway, my point of this comment was to tell you how gorgeous your photos have been as of late. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. Absolute art!
What a kind comment, Abby!!! I’m a work in progress with photography (and everything). So glad that the work is paying off 🙂
I agree with you, Abby. This is a great breakfast recipe but I would prefer it not to be super sweet and revise it a little bit. This looks so healthy and yummy! 😀
I’m on an avocado roll recently; I put it in everything (including a muffin recipe I am posting on my blog this week)! There’s something about eating green food that is very satisfying 🙂
I love the idea of this! I’m still finding saying goodbye to yogurt kind of hard. There are no decent alternatives in the UK so I was actually thinking of using an avocado pudding as a substitute and this has me completely convinced! I adore quinoa too. I’d quite like to try this with buckwheat too? Also those have to be the most perfect looking raspberries ever!
Buckwheat would be delightful!!
Oooooh, this looks amazing! I recently discovered how great sweet quinoa is for breakfast, especially when cooked the night before – cooled down and served with homemade almond milk. But I bet in your parfait it tastes even better.
Beautiful, beautiful breakfast. You make healthy eating so effortless and delicious Gena! I love chocolate avocado pudding but haven’t branched out in using it in other sweet recipes yet.
Aw, thanks Emma 🙂
Thanks, I had the same question! Great recipe, will definitely try it!
Hi Gena,
If substituting extract for the vanilla bean, how much would you use?
Thanks, and hope to try this soon! I am thinking it would also be good with steel cut oats in lieu of the quinoa.
Alanna
I’d say one teaspoon! And yes, that would be lovely, oats.
Yummm!!! That looks so adorable and so delicious! And it’s awesome that you made a parfait without yogurt 🙂 definitely trying this out!
one time I tried quinoa for breakfast and it was a disaster! But maybe in a smaller quantity and with some nice cream it might work better.
hope you had a happy 4th.
And to you!
You have such a knack for taking the simplest ingredients and making something insanely creative out of them. I’ve never seen anyone make vanilla avocado pudding before–only chocolate! But what stands out the most to me about this breakfast is the texture combination. I’m a huge texture person (and flavor, but, well, duh) and I’m loooving the idea of the quinoa with the creamy avocado and juicy berries. This is going to be a must-make for me.
I’m big on texture as well, and loved the contrast in this breakfast!
my kids love parfaits! We all do:) They are so pretty and versatile…Normally we layer Trader Joe’s vanilla soy yogurt, homemade granola and whatever fruit we have, apple, banana, blueberries are a mainstay…but I am totally going to make this. They LOVE raspberries (who doesn’t!) and so far the avocado chocolate pudding has not been a hit but I am determined to make them believers! Thanks Gena- I came over here looking for something new & yummy and behold I found it!
I hope your kids enjoy it, Florence! Thanks for stopping by.
This looks almost too pretty to eat!
Ha, I know!
Looks delicious and very inspiring pictures!
Mm this looks delish Gena, love avocado puddings!!! Even better when it’s for breaky.
Avocado pudding is one of my favorite breakfasts! I usually just blend up an avocado, a banana, and a couple dashes of vanilla extract in a food processor; I like my simple version even better than the chocolate kinds. That being said, your parfait looks mighty delicious, so I am definitely going to add it to my repertoire of morning meals.
I’ve made plenty of avocado puddings and icings, but I’d never think to combine it with quinoa. Very nice recipe!
This looks wonderful and like a great excuse to get out of my smoothie breakfast rut. 🙂
How do you cook your quinoa to look so perfectly? I’ve used 1 c dry to 2 c water, and I end up w/gloppy mush.
This looks fantastic! I love fresh raspberries – what a great photo. I found you through the blog roll on Healthy Girl’s Kitchen and so glad I did.
This looks so great! I love the chocolate, of course, but I think at heart I’m a vanilla kinda girl. I don’t have quinoa on hand (horrors!) but I’m making it this morning and plan to layer it with local blueberries and strawberries.
Wow, this looks wonderful. Great choice 🙂
New breakfast favorite (check!), this sounds and looks amazing. I love breakfast quinoa with cinnamon and simple almond milk and nuts. 🙂
This looks delicious. I’m a fool for a breakfast parfait! Lately, avocados are finding their way into all meals of the day so this is right up my alley. Thanks for the great idea, Gena!
I hope you like it, Alicia! I’m an avocado fiend myself 🙂