As humans, we naturally categorize things. Food is no different—we categorize foods as savory or sweet, healthy or unhealthy, etc. However, there are certain foods that can be included in either category—it really all depends on how you prepare them.
Think of French fries—they are pretty much the poster child for unhealthy food, right? But what about baked fries? Those can be a pretty awesome healthy option!
How about pizza? That is another food that is frequently categorized as unhealthy. However, choose thin crust, nix the cheese, and layer on the veggies and you’ve got yourself a pizza that rivals most chain restaurant salads. Okay, beats most chain restaurant salads—but that’s a topic for a different day.
Some may claim that cheese-less pizza isn’t pizza at all. But in my opinion, it’s all about the red sauce baby! Give me a lightly sweet, super flavorful, and spicy red sauce and I’ll be saying: Cheese? What’s that?
But that’s not the point of this post—so, I’ll get back on topic. The point of this post is to highlight foods that can be both savory and sweet.
Once upon a time, I viewed oatmeal as simply a sweet food. It was to be topped with things like fruit, brown sugar, and almond butter. But then I tried out savory oats and my mind was blown. Who knew that oats topped with sriracha and eggs could be so delicious? Eggs are no longer a part of my diet, but savory oats and sriracha are here for life.
So, what about quinoa? I think of quinoa as a cousin to brown rice—if I would use brown rice in a dish, then quinoa is a completely viable substitute. It’s a food that is most frequently eaten in savory form, right? In the past, I’ve enjoyed quinoa in stir fries, salads, and tacos. At some point, I tried sweet quinoa in a dish similar to oatmeal. And again, my mind was blown.
Since I pretty much always have a batch of cooked quinoa on hand (my rice cooker makes it perfectly), I recently revisited quinoa in its sweet form. Only this time, I took it a step further and made it into a dessert to-die-for. Not only is it delicious, but it’s extremely simple and healthy too!
Super Simple Berry Choco-Chip Quinoa
- 1/2 C. cooked quinoa
- 1 C. frozen berries
- I used: 1/2 C. frozen blueberries + 1/2 C. frozen raspberries
- stevia to taste
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 T. chocolate chips (Whole Foods Vegan chocolate chips are amazing)
- 1 C. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- other optional toppings: coconut shreds, almond butter, sliced walnuts
Tip: make these ahead in mason jars for a grab-and-go treat!
Layer it up!
- First, mix the quinoa with the stevia and cinnamon.
- Next, add the quinoa to a dish and layer the berries on top.
- If you want to enjoy this dish warm – pop it in the microwave now! If you want to keep it cold (great summer treat) – move on to step 4.
- Pour almond milk over the top and sprinkle in some chocolate chips!
- Enjoy!
If you have precooked quinoa, then this can be made in about 2 minutes flat—can’t beat that!
What’s your favorite food that can be both savory and sweet?
Quinoa is my current favorite—although, oatmeal and brown rice come in at a close second!
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