While I was planning the list of foods for this month’s concept (#detoxInSpring) for my blog, I did a little research on foods that are high in nutrients.
And after some data mining, I came across QUINOA
So what is Quinoa? It comes from the Amaranth family. It looks like a grain but is technically a seed. For a vegan-based diet, this is ULTIMATE in terms of nutrition – it has loads of it.
Quinoa is a popular alternative to pasta and rice for a GOOD reason — it’s high in protein, naturally gluten free, and extremely versatile. It has a nutty and a pleasant chewy texture, ideal for salads and breakfast porridges. It is a delicious addition to veggie burgers and breads. It can also be used in your dinner dishes.
No wonder it is termed as the SUPERFOOD of the era.
The best part about a quinoa is that you can treat it like a WHITE CANVAS. You can fill it with colours that suit your palate. Yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, brocolli, purple cabbage…. and later drizzle it with your favourite dressings.
Here, we have a gorgeous looking salad, the flavours will definitely help you forget you are on a diet.
First let’s see how to cook Quinoa :
It is very important to first rinse the QUINOA thoroughly in water, to remove the naturally occurring toxic bitter coating called saponin. Wash the quinoa until the water runs clear. Then follow the ratio of 1:2 (1 part quinoa and 2 parts water) . Cook the quinoa for 10 -15 minutes and then off the flame and keep it covered with a lid. After around 20 minutes take off the lid, the quinoa would have absorbed all the moisture and will fluff up. With the help of a fork separate the quinoa gently. Now this cooked quinoa can be used for your recipes.
Quinoa Salad
Ingredients :
For the vinaigrette :
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
For the Salad:
2 cups cold cooked quinoa
½ cup cooked chicpeas
½ cup halved grapes
¼ cup chopped oranges
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tsp cilantro (garnish)
Method :
First, make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, chickpeas, grapes, oranges, bell peppers and almonds.
Drizzle salad with dressing and gently stir until salad is coated with the dressing, garnish with cilantro and serve.
