Why Quinoa?
I am certainly not a scientist or a nutritionist but I have read up on quinoa. It is considered to be one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods on Earth. The health benefits are extensive but here are a few key facts: It is high in fiber, antioxidants, iron, vitamins and all nine essential amino acids (which is rare). Yeah, yeah but what does that actually mean?
Fiber can help lower blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and increase fullness which can aide in weight loss.
Essential Amino Acids are a necessity to your body that it cannot produce on its own. Therefore, we need to get them from our food.
Antioxidants help fight many diseases.
Protein can stimulate metabolism and reduce appetite also aiding in weight loss.
Now that the boring part is over, here are a few of my favorite quinoa recipes!
Quinoa Veggie Burgers
These are so delicious! We don't eat them as burgers in our house. I make them small and we use them as a side dish or a snack. They are made with mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes which make them really flavorful. There are also vegan and gluten-free substitutes for these burgers.
Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
I love anything made in a muffin tin. I think it makes the cutest handheld snacks. I love to snack throughout the day and so does my toddler! So, I try to find snacks that are filling and nutritious and this definitely fits that! This recipe is also gluten-free.
Crockpot Quinoa Chicken Primavera
This is a slow cooker dinner recipe. I love the slow cooker when I actually think to plan ahead. I love to be able to throw everything in one pot so far in advance. Then when it's dinner, the whole meal is ready and waiting and you only have to clean one pot. This recipe calls for pesto which we love in my house. We make our own fresh pesto which is definitely a little more time consuming but I'm not the biggest fan of jarred pesto. However, if you want to save time, you can definitely use it.
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