A healthy fruit based breakfast is a must for me everyday.  Typically I prepare a quick easy breakfast like Best Breakfast or Oat Bran Soy Yogurt and Fresh Fruit.  When I have more time in the morning I like to make a hot rice and fruit dish made with soy or coconut milk.  The other day my friend RM gave me a cookbook, The Gluten-Free Vegan written by Susan O'Brien who happens to be a friend of hers.  This cookbook is filled with lots of delicious ideas, including a breakfast risotto.  The author used arborio rice prepared in the manner of risotto, which results in a deliciously creamy hot breakfast.  Following her lead I made this tasty breakfast risotto based on a favorite savory rice dish containing coconut milk, coconut, currants and cashews.

This well balanced breakfast will be right at home in the Weekend Breakfast Blogging roundup hosted by Fun and Food.  This months theme is Balanced Breakfasts, look for the roundup the first week of April.

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Breakfast Risotto

1 cup arborio rice

1 14-oz can light coconut milk

1 14-oz can water

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cardamom

1 T. fresh ginger, grated

¼ cup coconut, toasted

¼ cup currants

¼ cup raw cashews, broken

½ mango, chopped

½ banana, chopped

8 strawberries, quartered

2 slices fresh pineapple, chopped

Warm the coconut milk and water in a sauce pan.

Place one ladle full of the coconut water mixture into a second sauce pan over low simmer, add the arborio rice and salt, stir to combine. Once the coconut milk mixture has been absorbed add a second ladle full stirring to combine. Continue in this manner until most of the coconut milk mixture has been used and the arborio rice is firm but tender.

Next, stir in the spices, currants, cashews and coconut along with any remaining coconut milk. Fold in the fresh fruit and cover for just a minute to allow the fruit to warm. Serve topped with freshly grated nutmeg.