Quinoa- The Super Food of All Super Foods

I was introduced to Quinoa about 3 years ago when it was "trendy"...everyone was eating it, talking about it, blah blah blah.  I read up on it, bought it and tried it.  First I just cooked it up and threw some frozen veggies into it...not good.  The next time I made it, I replace the typical brown rice we use for out chicken curry dish with it.  I warned my husband in advance and he promised he would try it and also not complain about it.  This is huge in itself.  Anyway, he didn't like it, but I thought it was OK with the curry.  Either way, I decided it was too annoying to prepare (rinsing it, letting it sit, 15 minutes to cook) and I just stopped using it.  When my first 6FIT rolled around in December of 2011, I tried it again.  This time, I looked up some recipes (which I will share with you below) and made it a point to love quinoa!  Even my daughter was eating quinoa in her prepackaged baby food.  Today I LOVE, am obsessed with, replace everything with quinoa.

Did you know that 2013 has officially been declared "The International Year of Quinoa"?  It must be good!

Here is a list of tips and tricks that I have found helpful for eating and preparing quinoa:

• Buy in bulk (if you can).  I buy a 2lb bag of quinoa at BJ's for $4.99.  In the regular grocery store, the same brand costs $5.99 for a 14oz bag.  No brainer.  
• Buy pre-washed.  This takes a lot of time out of prepping quinoa.  
• Make a big batch.  2 cups of quinoa and 4 cups of water will make a batch that will last about 5 days between myself and my daughter.  During 6FIT Quinoa week, I make more.  I literally put quinoa into everything so having it premade makes it really easy to add it to salads, sauteed recipes, etc. Also, most recipes called for cooked Quinoa but always double check.
• Replace pasta and rice with Quinoa.  I will admit, it took a while to get used to this.  My family does not eat a lot of pasta, and when we do we make a chili type sauce and put it over pasta so it is easy to replace.  We also eat a lot of veggie/chicken stir fry with brown rice.  Brown rice is not forbidden during bread/pasta week in 6FIT, but seeing as it coincides with Quinoa Week...go ahead and replace it! 

This is the brand I use (chubby baby legs are not included):

Want some details on the health benefits of Quinoa?  Go here:

Quinoa is great; here's why.

Ok so onto some recipes.  I usually keep it pretty simple, but I have been branching out lately.  

One of my go to recipes for lunch (or dinner) is roasted veggies over satueed kale and spinach with quinoa.  Roast veggies at 400 for 40 minutes (I like sweet potato, parsnips and brussel sprouts- toss in olive oil, salt/pepper and cayenne).  Saute the kale and spinach together in olive oil, salt pepper, cayenne (see a pattern here?) and stir in the cooked quinoa at the end. Serve together and voila! 

Pinterest is a fabulous place for Quinoa recipes and it's where I get most of mine.  I have linked my health recipes pinterest page as I am constantly pinning quinoa stuff! 

Below is a list of recipes I have tried and approved!  They are all links to where I got the original recipes.

Quinoa and Kale Patties  I posted this in the 6FIT page, but I just want to stress a few things.  Make sure that once the batter is mixed, it sits for a while- even 30 minutes.  It is still going to be really runny.  Try to form into a ball anyway.  Cook for 10-12 min medium heat on BOTH sides. These are so good.  I used them as breakfast cakes, in lettuce wraps for lunch and then again for breakfast sauteed in with my spinach.  

BBQ Quinoa/Kale Bowl.  So here is the recipe I base mine off.  I made it a lot easier though and substituted a few things.  First of all the BBQ tofu: I just tossed in BBQ Sauce and tobasco, baked for 30 min at 400 (tofu cut into cubes).  Instead of brown rice I used quinoa and instead of blackeyed peas, I used garbanzo beans.  So So good.  If you don't like tofu, you can use shrimp of chicken! It is very filling.  

Quinoa/Avocado/Corn Salad The recipe calls for soaking the quinoa overnight...here is where the pre-washed quinoa comes in handy.  You can omit that step all together.  

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl  One of my favorites.  My sister shared this recipe during winter 6FIT and it is absolutely delicious.  Note- This recipe calls for walnuts, so if you're allergic  it still tastes good without.  Just add more berries!

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers  I will not lie.  I don't follow a recipe for these, but the one linked comes pretty close to what I do.  I usually just stuff peppers with quinoa and steamed spinach, add some spices and bake them.  So good and 2 peppers lasts 2 days. 

I think those recipes should get you started on your journey to loving Quinoa! I wish I had tips of how to make kids like quinoa, but I don't.  It's just one of the things my daughter loves...she will eat it plain without spices too.  

Enjoy!