Hello All,
Look! I posted on the exact day I plan on every week!
Well, I am still using the BodyMedia fit to great success. I am going to give it a thorough review next week, but this week I must share my thoughts on quinoa. You see, in the past week three people asked me about how I fix quinoa. It is important to note that I am just an average cook. Basically, I can keep from burning things. Now, that is in comparison to my sister who is an excellent cook.
The first time I had quinoa was in a restaurant. I also heard more about it on the
"You Are What You Eat." On a whim, I bought (for five dollars) a package of organic quinoa at the local grocery store. I must admit it can be hard to find. Most times you can find it in the health food section or with the rice.
Although it looks and tastes like a grain, quinoa is actually an herb from the beet family. However, you will find it tastes similarly to brown rice. The best thing about quinoa is that it is high in fiber and high in protein. One time, I told the doctor that I was binging on quinoa, he stated that a quinoa binge is exponentially better than stuffing myself with donuts. LOL
After tracking down quinoa make sure that you follow the actually instructions for cooking on the package. DO NOT follow the instructions in a recipe. All quinoa is not the same. Quinoa is not difficult to make, but you need to make it according to the specific instructions.
The most important part of making quinoa is to RINSE IT. I recommend cheese cloth or a strainer with VERY small openings. I tried rinsing it through paper towel one time. Obviously, my common sense was turned off that day. The experiment ended BADLY! It was a huge mess, but it did provide me with some amusement at my own expense.
Once you rinse quinoa, you just need to mix it up with something. I have a couple of ways that I make it. While I do not have exact measurements of anything, I believe you can do this to taste. Also, you might want to add salt. When I turned about 8 years old my mom had to quit salting food, due to my dad's health. Therefore, I normally do not add additional salt to food.
Pesto Style
quinoa
olive oil (you can use half olive oil and half low-sodium chicken broth to cut calories or extend higher quality oil)
minced garlic
feta or goat cheese
tons of basil
pepper
halved cherry tomatoes
lemon juice
Parsley Browned Butter Version (not a low-fat version)
quinoa
browned butter
minced garlic
tons of parsley
zuchinni
diced tomatoes (with juice)
Corn and Black Bean
quinoa
corn
black beans
cilantro
garlic
diced jalpenos
chunks of a white cheese
chili powder
a smidge of sugar
cocoa powder
canola oil (cut with low-sodium chicken broth)
cinnamon
I recommend that you can use it in place of any grain. For some really good recipes, check out
Eating Well.
Til Next Week,
Kristi
Published to http://kristiasher.blogspot.com
