Quinoa

Quinoa is such a versatile and nutritious food that I wanted to dedicate a full post to it today.

As some of you know, I recently developed a weight loss plan for my brother and his fiance. They started the plan one week ago, today, and, after just 4 days into the program, were down 5 and 3 pounds, respectively.

I feel great about that! I think I am more excited for what is to come to them than they are! I also just finished a plan for another friend to try out. My hopes are to build up some success stories so that one day, I can take my ideas to market and make a few bucks.

Being that diet accounts for about 80% of one's weight loss success, quinoa is a staple in the plans I am preparing. Here is why;

Quinoa per 1/4 cup (dry) serving:
200 Calories
2.5 grams of Fat
0 Saturated Fat
38 grams of Carbs
3 grams of Fiber
8 grams of Protein

This food is an 18 (very low) on the Glycemic Index


As you can see, quinoa might be one of the more perfect carbohydrates out there for you to consume. For this reason, I usually make at least 7-10 servings on Sunday in a large pot to last me through the week. While it is super easy to make, it does take about 30 minutes and I just don't always have 30 minutes of spare time throughout the week. This is a great food to make in advance.

Some recipes that I enjoy with quinoa:

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (see receipe on this blog)
Quinoa Chicken Parm
Quinoa Chicken "Enchilldas"
Vanilla Quinoa & Berries

You can buy your quinoa from Costco, in a large 5 (or maybe it is 7) lb bag. While the package tells you to rinse your quinoa first, I don't. I actually prefer the nuttier flavor that you get when you don't rinse it.

I will share each of these recipes with you this week. If you end up trying any of them, let me know what you think. Also, if you have a great recipe using quinoa, please share it with me!

Lex.