I think it’s safe to say I love quinoa. I’ve posted a few recipes using quinoa, and I promise, I will post more in the near future. Quinoa is nature’s “perfect food” because it is a gluten-free grain that is packed with protein, so it is balanced and metabolized without spiking your blood sugar.
I use quinoa everyday, sometimes in several meals.
· I like to use it instead of rice in my dinners, topping it with sautéed chicken and veggies.
· At breakfast, I like to make a “superfood scramble,” scrambling together peppers, spinach, edamame, broccoli, cooked salmon and cooked quinoa with two egg whites.
· As an athlete, I often find myself needing to tweak my diet and increase my protein intake, which means I turn to quinoa for side dishes. I like to make cold quinoa salads: tossing it with black beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro, dressed with a bit of lime juice for a Mexican treat; or quinoa with edamame, sesame seeds, green onions, and broccoli slaw mix, dressed with a little soy, white wine vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil for an Asian delight; or quinoa with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, garlic, and parsley, with a bit of feta for a crave-worthy Mediterraneanside.
· And then, at lunch, it pairs well with chicken salad, tuna salad, and salmon salad. I either top quinoa with one of the aforementioned, or I bulk them up by stirring it into the recipe. I also like to put it in burritos, instead of rice, with beans, cheese, and onions, for my mister.
· Of course, I love to incorporate it into my desserts and breakfasts, giving an unexpected flavor profile or texture to my treats, a punch of protein, and a conversation starter! I’ve put pictures (and links to their recipes) of just a few of my Twisted Treats ideas throughout this post, and as I said, there will be more to come!
Quinoa can be really easy to use and eat everyday if you make a large batch of it once a week, and keep it in a container in the fridge. That is how I easily scoop it into any recipe I have on hand. I highly recommend doing this, especially because if you have it available and ready, you’re more likely to use it.
Over the next couple days I have a few commercial quinoa treats to share with you, and I hope you’ll be just as excited about them as I am! And, if you have any to share with me, please let me know because I love learning about new things!
