Quinoa Raspberry Smoothie Bowl with Cacao

This Quinoa Smoothie Bowl with Raspberries & Cacao is a delicious and nutritious, gluten free breakfast recipe idea, which can be enjoyed either vegan or vegetarian. 

Why you should use quinoa in a smoothie

Smoothies can make a great addition to a healthy diet.  They can contain fruit and vegetables, but they can also be a good source of protein (from yogurt and milk).  Quinoa is high in protein and other nutrients so makes an ideal smoothie ingredient.  Especially if you want to enjoy your smoothie for breakfast!  Quinoa has a mild, slightly nutty flavour, blending in well with the rest of the ingredients in the smoothie.  It also adds bulk creating a satisfying, naturally gluten free, snack.

Healthy blender recipe

In order to get a super smooth and creamy consistency I recommend using a really good blender (an ordinary stick blender may not be able to produce the result you want).  I used Optimum blender, which creates fantastically creamy textures, but you can use another good blender.  This raspberry quinoa smoothie is so smooth and creamy it’s impossible to detect the presence of the quinoa in it.  (Read my Optimum blender review and check out my Special Readers Offer at the bottom of this post)

No added sugar healthy smoothie

This breakfast smoothie does not contain any added sugar! Raspberries are naturally sweet, and so is milk.  But I also sneaked a few prunes in for a bit more sweetness and to create a richer flavour. (Although you can’t really taste the prunes in this smoothie).  Prunes, which are high in nutrients and fibre, make an ideal breakfast ingredient.  For me this smoothie is sweet enough, but you can always add a bit of maple syrup or honey if you prefer it sweeter. Remember also that your smoothie bowl will have varying degrees of sweetness depending on the type of milk you use.  So perhaps try not to add any sugar to start with.

Prepare the quinoa ahead

Quinoa is a great ingredient to prepare ahead, which, once cooled, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days (unless you want to serve it hot as a side dish).  So you can make a fresh smoothie bowl every day!

Cacao vs cocoa

I used cacao in this recipe but it is perfectly ok to use cocoa instead if you prefer or can’t get any cacao.

In addition to having a low sugar content this healthy quinoa smoothie is gluten free as well as filling (thanks to the addition of the quinoa).  And, if you use a non-dairy milk, you can also enjoy it vegan.

More smoothie recipe ideas

Sweet Potato Smoothie Bowl (Vegan)

Raspberry Smoothie with Avocado and Mint

Beet Smoothie with Cherries and Kefir

*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Print Recipe

Quinoa Smoothie Bowl with Raspberries & Cacao

This Quinoa Smoothie Bowl with Raspberries & Cacao is a nutritious, gluten free breakfast recipe idea, which can be enjoyed either vegan or vegetarian. 

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time2 mins

Total Time4 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: International

Keyword: quinoa, raspberries, smoothie

Servings: 2 people

Author: Everyday Healthy Recipes

Ingredients

• 80 g cooked quinoa
• 200 g frozen raspberries
• 240 ml milk of your choice
• 1.5 tbsp cacao/cocoa
• 8 prunes pitted

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until velvety smooth.

  If you are using the Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender place all the ingredients in the jug and use the 'vacuum', 'smoothie' functions (alternatively set the timer and speed (I recommend using high speed) manually and puree until velvety smooth). Pour into bowls and enjoy! Makes 2 good size portions.

Notes

Preparation time does not include time needed to cook the quinoa. See my make-ahead tips in the post.

Pin Quinoa Smoothie Bowl with Raspberries & Cacao

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Recipe link parties

I am bringing my Quinoa Smoothie Bowl with Raspberries & Cacao to #CookBlogShare, which I have the pleasure of hosting this week. If you’ve got a recipe bring it to the party! Also sharing with Recipe of the Week,

SPECIAL READERS OFFER

At the time of writing this post this Optimum blender can be purchased for a special price of £399.00 (regular price £499.00).  Also, you can spread the cost at 0% interest for 6 months.  In addition, being a Froothie ambassador I can offer you free P&P. All you have to do is write ‘free ambassador delivery code 5250’ in the comment box.  The delivery charge will be credited back onto your account when you place the order.  Use this code also when ordering by phone.

You will also get a £20 discount if you use this code: AMB20 (don’t forget to use my ambassador code: 5250, with it)

Use this link to place your order: Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender

If you do purchase this blender I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).  This means that I can continue writing this blog, sharing my passion for great food and bringing you new recipes.  Thank you for your support.