Quinoa is my all time favorite grain, or rather botanically it’s considered a “seed.” In the last couple months, Quinoa has been my go to grain as I’ve cut out all other gluten free grains including brown rice, buckwheat, millet and oat, and have noticed that my digestion and overall health has improved significantly. As a bonus, I’ve even lost 5 lbs. of stubborn belly weight! Note that I also increased my intake of fruits, veggies, and good fats! If you have been experiencing digestive issues, sluggishness, brain fog, candida, fungus, moodiness, PMS, menopause symptoms or other health problems, I suggest cutting down on all gluten AND gluten free grains for about one month. YOU CAN KEEP THE QUINOA! My guess is that you will feel so much better!
Did you know that Quinoa is a rare plant food that is a complete protein source, and contains all 20 amino acids, including the 10 essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own? For one cup of cooked quinoa, you are getting 5 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, 39 grams of healthy carbohydrate, and a whole lot of other vitamins and minerals like vitamin b, manganese, magnesium, folate, iron, phosphorus, and potassium.
Some Amazing Benefits of Quinoa are:
Aids in weight loss, helps fight cancer, supports a healthy heart, contains disease-fighting antioxidants, keeps your gut healthy, supports bone health, reduces diabetes risk, and makes for a wonderful nutrition gluten alternative.
There are 3 types of Quinoa – white, red and black and they all taste amazing! I recommend soaking your quinoa for at least 4 hours or overnight before cooking, this will make them more fluffy, yummy and can aid in absorption and digestion.
Enjoy my simple and easy Quinoa Recipes here and you can also check out this awesome blog https://www.simplyquinoa.com , where you will find some delicious quinoa recipes and ideas!
Quinoa Tortilla Wraps
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, soaked >4 hours or overnight
1 cup water
½ Tsp. coconut oil for batter & extra oil to grease the pan
½ tsp. sea salt
pinch of black pepper
pinch of cumin
pinch of dried herbs like oregano & basil or fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley
Directions:
1. Rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer and drain the excess water
2. Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Heat some oil on a skillet over medium heat.
4. Pour ¼ of the batter in the hot skillet and swirl the skillet around so that the batter spreads and becomes thin (less than 1/8 inch thick).
5. After about 2 minutes, flip with a spatula and cook for another 3 minutes, or until wrap is lightly browned
6. For a yummy lunch, try this wrap with with fresh avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts and sauerkraut.
Basic Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, soaked for 4-8 hours, rinse & drain
1 1/2 cups water
pinch sea salt
Directions:
1. Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a medium pot
2. Add quinoa & salt, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes until water is evaporated and quinoa is soft and fluffy.
Quinoa with Vegetables Pilaf
¼ – ½ cup water to cook veggies with
1 Cup carrots, chopped
1 Cup zucchini or broccoli, chopped
½ Cup bell peppers, chopped
½ Cup frozen green peas
½ Cup onions, chopped
Add more veggies as optional & use vegetables that you like that are in season
1-2 Tspns Coconut Aminos or Gluten Free Tamari
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tspn dried mixed herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste
¼ Cup chopped parsley, cilantro, or green onion (garnishing, for the end)
1 tspn olive or coconut oil (optional to put in at the very end for good fats and flavor)
Directions:
1. Cook your basic quinoa (recipe above), in the mean time, heat a large sauté pan.
2. Add ¼ cup water and carrots, sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add all other vegetables, seasonings and spices (except for garnishing herbs),
4. Sauté for another few minutes until veggies are slightly soft but not overcooked
5. Add more water if needed.
6. Add cooked quinoa & coconut oil, and stir for another couple minutes.
7. Turn heat off and add freshly chopped parsley, cilantro or green onions (garnish)
8. Serve warm with a healthy salad. Enjoy!
Have fun experimenting with Quinoa!
