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The Benefits of Quinoa

October 9, 2015

Quinoa comes from South America around Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Humans began cultivating it around 3,000-4,000 years ago. These seeds are high in protein (for a grain) and contain essential amino acids that are beneficial to our health.

Quinoa can be found in many colors, but there are three common colors you’ll see in most grocery stores. An earthy white color, a rich clay red color, and black. I’ve been asked, “what are the differences in red/white/black quinoa?” So here is what I have noticed.

White quinoa is very susceptible to heat. It tends to swell quickly when cooked and can become mushy fast. I would prefer to let it soak in water to soften and use in cold dishes.

Red quinoa is my favorite. It tends to hold its texture and form when cooked. It also adds a nice color to the dish.

Black quinoa can be a bit sweeter when cooked and will still maintain its texture and form.

Personally, I prefer the red quinoa due to the color contrast it adds to my dish and how well it holds form when cooking. Plus in my local grocery stores and health food stores, I can only find red, white, or tricolored mixtures. So I tend to stick with red.

The nutrition content is very similar among all quinoa no matter the color. So lets take a look at what it contains.

QUINOA

SERVING: 1/2 CUP

CALORIES: 111

PROTEIN: 4 g

CARBOHYDRATES: 19.7 g

FIBER: 2.6 g

FAT (mostly poly/mono): 1.8 g

*Contains: Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc

If you would like to add more quinoa to your diet, try out my new quinoa soup recipe HERE!

Please feel free to spread the word about quinoa by using the social media icons below!

Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup

October 7, 2015

Since it is getting cooler outside, people are starting to cozy up and make soups in their crock-pots. Most soups can be high calorie and make you feel like hibernating after eating them… so here is how we avoid that feeling by boosting the nutrients in our soups!

Most people assume you need noodles, rice, or potatoes to have a soup… but you can actually use quinoa instead! Find out why quinoa is one of my favorite grains HERE!

So here is my recipe for one of our favorite fall soups made in a crock-pot.

INGREDIENTS:

4 organic chicken breasts, whole
2 containers of organic chicken broth
3 stalks of organic celery, chopped
1 organic leek, chopped
5 organic carrots, sliced
1 cup organic red quinoa
1 organic lemon, sliced
1/2 tbsp. organic dill weed
salt/pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place all chicken and broth into your crock-pot. Add celery, leek, carrots, lemon, and dill to your crock-pot and let cook on high for 5-6 hours or until chicken is done.

After adding all of your ingredients to your crock-pot, place your quinoa in a bowl of water off to the side to soak as shown below. I will also add extra water to the crock-pot depending on how much broth I have. Here I used both containers of broth and about 1 cup of water.

After your chicken has finished cooking, take out all chicken and shred chicken with a fork. The chicken should just fall apart as you scrape it. Once shredded, put it back into your crock-pot.

Strain water from your quinoa and add quinoa to your crock-pot 30 minutes before you plan to eat.

**Note: I always use red quinoa because it does not get mushy.

Please feel free to salt/pepper to taste. And 30 minutes later, voila! You have a healthy and flavorful soup!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and please feel free to share using the social media icons below!

High Protein Parmesan Basil Dip

September 29, 2015

Some times we just want a veggie dip or cracker spread that isn’t loaded in fat! So I came up with a new concoction today that had a yummy Italian flare!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (2.75 g protein)
1/4 cup 2% cottage cheese (6.5 g protein)
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 sprig of fresh basil (about 4-6 leaves)
2 pinches of Parmesan cheese flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. This should provide about 3/4 cup of dip and ~9.25 g protein!

Enjoy!

Please feel free to share using the social media icons below!

What’s the Deal With Spaghetti Squash?

September 17, 2015

One question I get often is “what’s the deal with spaghetti squash?” Is it good or bad? And is it REALLY better than pasta??

So here is what I know about spaghetti squash as well as my opinion on the matter!

Spaghetti squash is technically a fruit (we use as a winter vegetable) and is used in place of pasta often due to its stringy consistency. It can be baked, boiled, steamed or my favorite, microwaved (just because its quicker).

So for the first question:

IS IT GOOD OR BAD?

I think it is a great food to choose when finding a pasta replacement. Here is a side by side of the nutrition analysis for spaghetti squash vs. plain cooked pasta.

As you can see above with my analysis from the USDA Food Database, spaghetti squash is a way to get more food for less calories and carbohydrates.

Pasta is very starchy and high calorie. It tends to spike blood glucose levels in diabetics and increase weight in the average American. A serving of pasta is usually around 1/2 cup cooked. It is rare that only a 1/2 cup of pasta is used during an entire meal. Usually when pasta is cooked, it is used as a filler being the largest portion on the plate.

Spaghetti squash however is very low calorie, contains lots of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber! It should prevent the roller coaster blood sugar spikes especially when prepared with a protein.

So to answer the last question:

IS IT REALLY BETTER THAN PASTA?

My opinion is yes!

It is low calorie, all natural, loaded in nutrients and is so easy to make!

So here is a quick tutorial on how to make your spaghetti squash fast!

First slice it in half and remove the inside pulp/seeds with a spoon.

Then you’ll want to put the halves on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Put them in the microwave for about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your squash.

Once your time is up, touch your squash with a utensil to see if it is soft. Don’t use your fingers because it should be VERY hot. If it is, you’re ready for the next step!

Begin scraping the insides of the squash with a fork to remove your spaghetti squash. This helps keep the squash stringy. And once you’re done scraping, you are ready to serve!

Spaghetti squash is a great way to still have that “pasta feel” in a healthier way.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and learned something new! Please feel free to share this post using the social media icons below!

Pico De Gallo Recipe!

September 3, 2015

Pico de gallo is a great side that adds tons of flavor to a dish! It is so easy to make and stays fresh for days. So here is a quick recipe to help you make your very own pico from home! Preservative free!

INGREDIENTS:

4 roma tomatoes
1 banana pepper
1 poblano pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded
1 lime, juice
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Dice your tomatoes, garlic and peppers into very small pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Then add your chopped cilantro and mix well. Next, slice your lime and squeeze both halves over your pico mix. And you’re done!

Tailgating Vegetarian Tri-Bean Salad!

September 3, 2015

It’s about that time! Time for football! Which usually means… fried chicken wings, pizza, beer, high calorie dips, etc… Just because it’s football season doesn’t mean you have to blow your diet! Or stop eating healthy for that matter. Here is one of my favorite party foods! My vegetarian tri-bean salad!

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 Roma tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1 poblano pepper, seeded
1 banana pepper, seeded
1 jalapeno pepper
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cans of tri-bean mix (pintos, black beans, red kidney beans)
1 lime
1/2 cup green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Chop tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and onions. I left my jalapeno seeds in my jalapeno for an extra little kick.

Also this Vidalia Chop Wizard is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets! It chops so evenly and makes chopping go by so much quicker. I always use this when fresh produce needs to be diced!

I have an amazing contraption that chops for me so all pieces are the same size. Once you’ve done all of your chopping, place your mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Open both cans of beans and strain out the juice and rinse under water.

Once you’ve added your beans to the mix, stir with a spoon and squeeze plenty of lime juice over you salad.

And viola! You’re ready to be the health nut tailgating!

This is a low calorie, high protein, high fiber way to snack at a football party.

If you’d like to share this tailgating tri-bean salad, please use the social media icons below!

Enjoy!!

Guacamole Health Benefits and Recipe!

August 19, 2015

One of my favorite foods to whip together is guacamole! It adds amazing flavor to foods and is the best fresh! So how do you make it from scratch? Lets take a look!

INGREDIENTS:

2 avocados
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped ( I like a little more!)
1/2 lime
1/2 jalapeno (unless you like some kick, then use a whole jalapeno, seeded)
1 clove garlic, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Slice avocados in half and remove the seed. Scrape out all of the avocados into your bowl. Then squeeze your lime until there is no juice left! After mashing your avocados in your lime juice, you’ll want to add your chopped ingredients next. Once your chopped garlic, jalapeno and cilantro are added to your bowl, mix very well. And voila! You have a delicious, fresh, preservative free guacamole!

With the acidic lime juice in the recipe, you could refrigerate this guacamole for about 1-2 days without the avocados turning brown.

So what are the health benefits of these foods??

Lets start with avocados…

AVOCADO: Avocados are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K₁, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, choline, lutein/zeaxanthin, phytosterols. They are high-monounsaturated fatty acids, which is the heart healthy fat. The avocado oil consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA), which helps to promote healthy blood lipid profiles and enhance the bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins and phytochemicals. Avocados are very well known to be beneficial to heart health (in moderation). You do have to remember, because it is a great heart healthy fat source, it will still be high calorie. A serving of an avocado is around 1/5 of the fruit. But the average amount of consumption is around 1/2 of the fruit, which is the serving size that was used to gather the above data.

CILANTRO: Cilantro is loaded in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It contains no cholesterol (since it does not have a liver) and may help lower LDL cholesterol due to its fiber content. The oil from the leaves help slow the oxidation process of foods. So it helps it stay edible longer! Cilantro (also called corianderum sativum or Chinese parsley) was shown to possibly reduce heavy metal toxicity. Particularly detoxification of lead in this particular study. What a win for cilantro!

LIME: Limes are an excellent source of vitamin C. We use vitamin C for immune health, tissue repair and to produce collagen. Collagen is kind of like the glue that holds your body together.

JALAPENO: Jalapenos contain an ingredient called capsaicin that is usually found in a lot of hot peppers. Capsaicin is actually known to assist in fat oxidation (or fat burning)! It can also act as an anti-inflammatory. If you’re an avid pepper eater, you probably already know capsaicin can assist in clearing up those sinuses and nasal passages. They also contain lots of vitamins and minerals which are great for immune health and fighting against other diseases.

GARLIC: Oh the benefits of garlic! I have actually done a whole blog itself on garlic so I will link that HERE.

There is nothing better for us than eating good, clean, natural food. I’m hoping that these blog posts are getting the message across that processed foods prevent you from getting all the benefits listed above.

I hope this post was educational! Please leave any questions in the comments below! And if you know of anyone that would enjoy this recipe, please share by using the social media icons below!

It’s Truly Tabouli!

August 4, 2015

Some of you may be wondering what tabouli is… So let me give you some background.

It is a Middle Eastern vegetarian salad that can be spelled tabouli or tabbouleh. Most tabouli recipes will include bulgur (wheat) or quinoa. I decided to leave both of those out so this can be a lower carbohydrate salad.

Tabouli has many benefits… It is low calorie, high in fiber, and loaded in vitamins and minerals! For this reason, it is considered a superfood in many countries. By adding quinoa over bulgur, or leaving out both as I have done, it can be considered gluten-free.

This nutrient rich dish makes a great snack on romaine lettuce leaves, eaten alone as a salad, or even on top of protein sources such as meats, eggs, or beans.

So lets get started making some tabouli!

First you will need:

2 cups curly parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Chop your parsley, mint, tomato, cucumber and green onions. Put them in your mixing bowl.

Then add your salt, lemon juice, and olive oil.

And finally, toss all ingredients to make sure everything is mixed well.

And your finished product will look like this!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! And a BIG thank you to Cheryl who introduced me to this superfood!

Italian Tuna Salad

August 2, 2015

Tuna salad is one of the quickest things to take for lunch during the week, but depending on how you make it, calories can add up fast! Between all the mayonnaise, pecans and crackers, your “healthy lunch” may not be so healthy after all.

So how do you make tuna salad healthy? How can you give it a different taste so it’s not so boring?

Luckily, I have the answer!

First you’ll need to gather these ingredients:

1 can of tuna packed in water
2 Tbsp of plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp basil pesto
3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
6 black olives, chopped
1 cucumber

Directions:

Add your drained can of tuna, Greek yogurt, and basil pesto to your mixing bowl. Once thoroughly mixed, add your chopped sun-dried tomatoes and olives!

Slice your cucumber into small slices to use for dipping. And voila! That’s it!

You have a quick guilt-free lunch!

Enjoy!

Creamy Scalloped Garlic and Herb Chayote

July 28, 2015

I am BEYOND excited to share a new recipe I threw together last night! Chayote is an excellent non-starchy vegetable that most people in the United States are not familiar with. To learn more, click HERE. I would also like to add this dish is bariatric friendly! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 chayote
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon of sage
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

First you want to wash the outside of your chayote and then peel with a potato peeler.

It helps me to cut them in half to be sure I peel all of the skin off in the crevice. There is also a thin seed inside, so do remove that as well.

Once your chayote is all peeled, slice them into very thin slices.

Here is where I added the olive oil, chopped garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, and sage (The garlic powder will be saved for later ). I stirred the chayote around to evenly distribute all of the seasonings and coat the pan with the olive oil, then covered the pan. Place the skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes then stir.

Once the chayote is very soft (enough to slice in half), I drained the liquid and moved the mixture to a bowl. This is where I added the Greek yogurt and garlic powder. You can definitely add more seasonings for flavor if you like stronger flavors!

To complete the dish, I sprinkled some chopped green onions on top! You will now have a healthy, low fat, high protein replacement for creamy scalloped potatoes!

Enjoy!