Quinoa with Oats

A very healthy alternative for pasta or rice, besides chickpeas is a whole grain called, QUINOA (“keen”-“wa”). It is well known for its great profile of amino acids and is a complete protein! And yes, you guessed it, is also a great source of FIBRE! Making this substitution is especially beneficial for vegetarians, helping them to reach their daily protein requirements without having to think about complementary proteins.

Quinoa is found in the organic section at the grocery store or at any bulk or health food store. It has the same cooking instructions as rice or cous- cous, it does look a little different but please don’t let it scare you! Quinoa is bland alone but is perfect in place of rice, pasta or cous cous in any meal.

Quinoa is a superior food, it is so versatile and can be used to substitute for so many carbohydrate choices. Quinoa is a fantastic wheat-and gluten-free choice, probably the least allergenic of all the grains. Try this recipe that I found in Tosca Reno’s “The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook”.

Quinoa with Oats: Pg: 89

1 cup quinoa, soaked for 2 hours

1cup steel-cut oats

¼ tsp sea salt

3 cups water

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup raisins

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan with a lid, place soaked quinoa, steel-cut oats, sea salt and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in other ingredients and let sit for several minutes. Serve hot.

* Try this with unsweetened applesauce

Popularity: 41% [?]

I’m sure you have all heard of or seen what varicose veins look like. They are those unsightly blue veins that pop up usually on the leg. Some people are more prone to them because they run in their families, or get them when they are pregnant, but another main cause of these painful, enlarged veins are- you guessed it, not enough fibre! What happens is when you have a low fibre diet, it is harder to release bowel movements. This extra effort and strain increases the pressure in the abdomen, with slows down the blood flow into the lower part of your body. This increased pressure can over time weaken the walls of the veins, leading to varicose veins and even hemorrhoids!  The take away message here is make sure you eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains to promote a healthy gut!

From the Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, pg: 914

Here is a high fibre meal idea that will keep you going! I make it all the time, try it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

Lentil salad

-one can lentils ( be sure to rinse thoroughly before use)

-one can of corn

-one tomato diced

- one half of a cucumber diced

- one diced pepper ( any colour of your choice)

-1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

-1 tsp cumin

-2 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinager

-2 tbsp unsalted, dry roasted sunflower seeds

-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- pinch of salt… lots of pepper

Preparation:

Make certain that all of your vegetables are cut up to around the same size.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill before serving. Try substituting a bowl of this for lunch one day! To complete the protein, add cheese cubes or serve with a glass of low-fat milk.

Sick of lentils? Substitute chickpeas or a chickpea-fava bean mixture!

A nice addition to this salad, especially in the summer is halved grapes and a little goat milk feta cheese . Refreshing! Or maybe you want a little kick, if so try a pinch of red pepper flakes or tabasco.

Popularity: 32% [?]

Lately, I have heard a lot of buzz about the wonders of Ezekiel Bread, I thought that I would do some investigative work to try and get to the bottom of it.

Source: http://www.shashabread.com/product/12/format/6

Oxygen Magazine claims it’s “Carbs you MUST eat”, because it reduces muscle breakdown with arginine, an amino acid from soy protein found in this bread.

This is such a great carbohydrate choice for boosting lean muscle gains because of its complete protein profile. The soy protein, in particular, contains high amounts of arginine and glutamine, two of the body’s building blocks that help promote muscle growth.

BUT we need to keep in mind that if our fine-tuned machine is functioning properly then we produce adequate amounts as arginine is a conditionally non -essential nutrient. If for any reason your body cannot produce enough we can look to our diet for arginine, lucky for us, it is found in abundance!

Some dietary sources of arginine are found in a WIDE variety of foods, including:

Animal sources: dairy products, beef, pork, poultry and certain seafood.

Vegetable sources: wheat germ and flour, buckwheat, oatmeal, granola  peanuts, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, cooked soybeans.

As you can see there is lots to choose from when specifically looking for arginine.  With that in mind, and also that it is a non- essential amino acid (except to those who are nutritionally compromised) I think that Ezekiel Bread is a clever marketing technique and is the latest nutrition “fad”.  It does however offer a good source of protein and iron, which could be especially beneficial to vegetarians who are struggling with what to eat.

HUNGRY?

Here is a recipe that I made recently,

Fiesta Slaw:

2 zucchini (thinly sliced)

3 peppers (thinly sliced)

1 cup broccoli slaw

1 shredded carrot

1 can of lentils ( rinse thoroughly)

1/2 artichoke hearts diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth

1 Tbsp cumin

2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Preparation:

1- Heat wok or pan  and start with the garlic.

2-Combine all the ingredients and cook until vegetables are soft.

3-Enjoy!

Popularity: 61% [?]

Not everyone has to be a vegetarian to enjoy a meal without meat. Beef, pork and chicken contain heart healthy proteins but they each come with varying amounts of saturated fats being cholesterol.  Experiment by mixing different legumes and grains with low fat dairy products and seeds to make a dish with a complete protein.

Here is a listing of food items making a complete protein:

.        Legumes with Grains

.        Legumes with Nuts

.        Legumes with Seeds

.        Nuts/Seeds with Legumes

.        Grains with Dairy

.        Nuts/Seeds with Dairy

.        Legumes with Dairy

.        Dairy with Nuts/Seeds and Legumes

Animal meats contain all the essential amino acids needed for a complete protein. Since different plant groups contain different essential amino acids, combining them in the right combinations creates a complete protein.Legumes (Peas and Beans) are something that use almost daily in my kitchen.  They are so versatile and are an amazing source of protein and our good friend, FIBRE! This soup recipe below is something my mom always made for me, and now I make all the time for myself because its so simple! It is a really wholesome dish that will keep you feeling full for long, guaranteed!

Lemony Lentil Soup

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

pinch  hot pepper flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 ½ cups red lentils , rinsed

6 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp   lemon juice

2 tbsp   finely chopped cilantro

PREPARATION:

1-     Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic and hot pepper flakes and

cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant.

2-     Add cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in lentils and combine well.

3-     Add stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils

are tender and soup is beginning to thicken, about 25-30 minutes.

4-     Soup can be pureed, partially pureed or left think but coarse. Add extra stock or water to

thin if necessary. Add lemon juice and taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

The recipe is from: More Heartsmart Cooking with Bonnie Stern

Popularity: 52% [?]

When I’m cooking something I’ll always look at the recipe and try and think of ways that I can improve the nutritional value, whether that means leaving out something or adding something in. You want the most bang for your buck!!! I have come to love adding ground flax seed and bran powder to almost anything I bake. This adds both fibre and essential fatty acids! It is great, there is so much out there to learn in regards to cooking and nutrition! For example:  I’ve learned to substitute oil products in recipes with either apple sauce or zucchini shreds, both of which take over the role of fat on a chemical level in baking.  I have made my own variation on several different recipes, and tested until perfection! Here is an example, give it a try!

Festive Pumpkin Spice Muffins:

1 cup old fashion oats (not instant)

½ cup wheat bran

¼ cup ground flax seed

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 grated carrot (large)

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 large egg whites + one yolk

1 tbsp safflower oil

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ cup skim milk

½ cup quinoa flour

¼ cup whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp liquid Stevia extract or which

ever sweetening agent you would prefer.

Preparation:

1-Preheat oven to 375 C. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

2-Mix pumpkin, oatmeal, applesauce, milk, eggs and oil until blended.

3-Mix dry ingredients separately then fold into when ingredients.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are browned.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Depending on your daily schedule, you can be out and about all day long, you need to think ahead as best you can to avoid making poor snack choices between meals.  On your way out the door pack at least one or two snacks, just incase you find yourself sluggish and starving at 11 am.  I recommend packing a few pieces of fruit or a baggie of cut up vegetables, something easy on the go so you won’t be tempted by that fresh pastry at the coffee shop . Even better yet, steam up some Edamame (soy beans in a green pod) the night before and keep them for the next day. Edamame is the perfect mid-day snack, good source of protein and fibre that will tide you over until your next meal.  I am also a fan of low fat popcorn as a snack, they make these 100 calorie packages of Smart pop popcorn that are great because they are portioned perfectly! Popcorn is great because it is whole grain and a good source of fibre.

On the run? Grab a small handful of raw unsalted almonds!

Popularity: 19% [?]