Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Smashed Avocado and Parsley Almond Pesto

This breakfast bowl is more of a brunch bowl, as it will definitely keep you full well into the afternoon! It's loaded with complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, making it a balanced meal that's also teeming with antioxidants. Make some for lunch, or enjoy it first thing in the morning as a decadent breakfast meal.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 cage-free egg

• 4 white mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 small onion, diced

• Splash of balsamic vinegar (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 medium avocado

• 4-5 heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

• Ingredients for Parsley Almond Pesto

• 1/4 cup shaved almonds

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

• 1 clove garlic

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Prepare quinoa according to package, and add cooked quinoa to a bowl.

2. In a medium pan, heat up olive oil on medium-low heat. Crack egg and cook for 2-3 minutes, until whites firm and edges begin to get crisp. Add to quinoa bowl.

3. In the same pan, add mushrooms and onions (add more olive oil if needed). Cook for about 3-4 minutes until mushrooms get soft and onions are translucent. Add thyme and balsamic vinegar, cooking for an additional minute. Add to bowl. 

4. Add avocado to a bowl and smash with a fork until it's smooth with some chunks left. Add to bowl with quinoa, egg, and mushrooms. Add tomatoes as well.

5. Make pesto by blending together almonds, parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil in a food processor or blender until pesto begins to get smooth, but still contains almond chunks. The pesto is meant to be chunky, but if you want it to be completely smooth, you can blend it until it is smoother. Add to quinoa bowl, and serve immediately.