Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Quinoa: What is It? A Recipe Roundup


Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah) is one of my favorite healthy foods....unfortunately, most of my friends don't even know how to pronounce it or how delicious it is. #fitpeopleproblems  Maybe some of them will read this post and decide to give quinoa
a chance. I was glad I did. Micah and I eat quinoa several times a week, and it's a great healthy staple for your kitchen, especially if you're on a tight budget or trying to reduce how much meat you consume. 

So, what is quinoa? Quinoa is a seed that comes from South America. It is also the only plant based protein with a complete amino acid profile. This is super important for vegetarians. So in this really tiny package, come a lot of nutritional benefits. Quinoa is also a great source of iron and fiber as well, and it is a complex carbohydrate, so this means, it will help stabilize blood sugar levels....just make sure you eat proper portions.

How to cook quinoa:
Rinse desired amount of quinoa, then boil 1.5 cups of water for every cup of dry quinoa. I like to sub a half cup of water for chicken stock, as the quinoa absorbs flavor really well. Stir and cook until liquid is absorbed. I like to fluff up the grains with a fork. Serve on the side or as a main dish.
If you'd like to buy quinoa, here is where I've bought it...(in order of where you can find the best deal.)

- Costco
-WalMart
-Aldi
-Grocery Stores
-Whole Foods/Health Food Stores

Here's some quinoa recipes for you to try too!


Lime Cilantro Quinoa Salad (Sarah Jane, The Fit Cookie)
                                                  
Quinoa Pizza Bake (Amy, Running Escapades


Cheesy Tuna Quinoa (Amy, Running Escapades


Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bowl (Sarah Jane, The Fit Cookie)


No-Bake Trail Mix Cookies (Sarah Jane, The Fit Cookie)


Thank you to my fellow #girlsgonesporty , who provided these delicious recipes!

Now it's your turn! What's your favorite quinoa recipe! If you haven't tried quinoa, you should!

Did you try one of these recipes? Let me know! 

Bon appetit!

Julie







4 comments:

  1. Thank you for this. I fall into the category of those who don't know how to pronounce it.

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  2. Thank you for your informative blog. It certainly stumps many people trying to pronounce it!

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    Replies
    1. I've been using quinoa for years and pronouncing it correctly for the last few. It is always nice to find some new quinoa recipes. Thanks for the round up..

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  3. Thanks for the info on quinoa, I like the sound of the Pizza Bake, I will take a look at that.
    60-TheNew40.com

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