Why ?
Why Quinoa?
Quinoa, pronounced ‘Qee – no – wah’ is a gluten free seed like plant that is a great substitute for rice.
Quinoa is extremely easy to cook. It’s high in protein and contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. In particular, quinoa is
high in lysine, an amino acid important for tissue growth and repair
A great way to try out quinoa is to mix it with roasted vegetables. Please see the recipe below:
Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables with Quinoa
This salad is delicious warm or cold. It keeps for around two days. It can often be a good idea to make up a big double batch so you can have it for lunch the next day. It’s good to have something healthy in your fridge you can grab instead of going for a less nutritious quick fix like a packet of crisps. It’s delicious topped with a little feta, lemon zest and a light sprinkle of pistachio or pumpkin seed.
Ingredients
2 capsicum, cut into chunks (red and yellow)
500 g pumpkin cut into large chunks
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
180 g (1 cup / 6oz) quinoa, well rinsed + drained
2 cups water
1 lemon
small bunch parsley chopped
1 tablespoon pesto
How to Cook
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Combine capsicum, pumpkin, zucchini and red onion with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Season with ground pepper and a little cinnamon.
Roast for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
Cook quinoa by combining into a small pot with 2 cups of water, similar to rice. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to low and cover.
Cook for 15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.
Remove vegetables from the oven and place into a large bowl.
Add the quinoa, lemon zest and a little juice, parsley and pesto.
Mix through lightly until combined.
Spoon into serving bowls and enjoy.
Additions: Top with crumbled feta or ricotta or top with fish for extra protein.
Add extra vegetables such as baby spinach or sautéed kale.
Sprinkle with chopped pistachio nut just before serving.
Nutrition per serve:
Protein: 8.5 g
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated: 1.2 g
Carbs: 27 g
Fiber: 5.8 g
kilojoules: 882
Calories: 211
Quinoa is available from most supermarkets and health food stores.
