hi
Today I’m gonna share with you a very special recipe. The recipe itself it’s special not only because my hubby thinks I should put a patent on it, (Ha Ha), but also because it’s not grain-free.
It’s gluten free, but not grain free.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that I personally follow an anti-inflammatory meal plan that’s grain free, lower carbohydrate, rich in vegetables (the rainbow’s on my plate) and in my practice I work with the therapeutic GAPS protocol, to support healing from the gut up, down and out: Gut-Brain, Gut-Body. My mantra:
“Heal the Gut to Heal the Rest of You”-you can twit this one.
Now if you’re on the GAPS plan, save this recipe and come back to it when you’re off the GAPS, (read the Note at the end of the recipe, I do have a surprise for you). That’s the beauty of healing the gut. Once it is healed, sealed and populated with those happy good microbes, you can go back to eating starches and grains such as Quinoa (not technically a grain).
If you’re eating gluten free grains, then you gonna love today’s recipe.
First let me tell you a bit about quinoa, so next time you choose to eat some, you’ll be in the “know zone”, and then I’ll share this ah-mazing recipe with you.
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is not a grain! It’s a pseudograin, used as a non-gluten alternative to grains.
“Quinoa is a species of the goosefoot genus (Chenopodium quinoa), a crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal, similar in some respects to buckwheat, rather than a true cereal, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beetroots, spinach and tumbleweeds. As a member of the Amaranthaceae family, it is related to and resembles amaranth, which is also a pseudocereal. After harvest, the seeds must be processed to remove the coating containing the bitter-tasting saponins.” -as seen on Wikipedia.
Quinoa has high nutritional value and cooks fast. It has been grown and consumed for about 8,000 years on the high plains of the Andes Mountains in South America.
Characteristics
• Contains all eight amino acids to make it a complete protein
• Has a protein content equal to milk
• High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium & vitamin E
• Gluten-free and easier to digest compared to grains
Fun facts about Quinoa
When quinoa is cooked, the outer germ surrounding the seed breaks open to form a crunchy coil while the inner grain becomes soft and translucent. This double texture makes it delicious, versatile and fun to eat.
Cooking tips:
- To save time, you can cook extra portions of quinoa and use throughout the week it in a variety of ways.
- Quinoa can be reheated with a splash of nut milk for breakfast porridge; or you can add dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon for a sweet treat.
- Add finely chopped raw vegetables and dressing for a cooling salad or add chopped cooked root vegetables for a warming side dish.
- Uncooked quinoa can be kept in a sealed glass jar and stored in a cool, dry, and dark place for up to a year.
- Prior to cooking, quinoa must be rinsed to remove the toxic (but naturally occurring) bitter coating, called saponin. Saponin, when removed from quinoa, produces a soapy solution in water. Quinoa is rinsed before it is packaged and sold, but it is best to rinse again at home before use. Place quinoa in a grain strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
For each 1 cup of dry quinoa you need 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, add a pinch of salt, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 min, stir occasionally.
And now the famous recipe:
Quinoa Beetroot Salad 
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/4 small onion or 4 green onions
- 1/2 a red or yellow bell pepper
- 1 medium tomato
- a bunch of fresh parsley
- 3 small roasted beets
- 1/4 cup black olives( optional)
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
Directions:
- chop the onions, peppers, tomato, beets, parsley and place them in a large salad bowl
- add salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil, toss lightly
- mix in the cooled quinoa
- allow it to sit for 10 min before serving
Note: this can be a meal in itself, or you can have with a green salad or side vegetables. You can make this your one vegetarian meal a day or a week. Perfect for the spring cleaning of your temple (AKA your body).
Cooking tip: I recommend roasting more beets (5-10) to have for the entire week as it takes long to do it (2-3 hours at 350 F).
Grain free variation: (You see I told you I have something for you too)
Substitute quinoa with cauliflower. Lightly steam cauliflower, chop in a food processor and use in place of quinoa. You can even use raw cauliflower, however lightly steamed is a bit tastier and easier to digest.
That’s it, give it a try and let me know what you think.
If you love it, share it!
Do you want to eat to have energy so you can play with your kids, or hit the gym after work? Check the “You REset” Program Phase III It’s a 1 week menu plan done for you, with shopping list, video recipes and much more. I’m virtually taking you by the hand and feed you the very food that your body needs to generate max energy, so you can feel awesome again, confident, walk tall, be proud and love what you see in the mirror, because You Deserve it, You Are Worth, You Are Enough, You Are Beautiful, You Can Do It!
By the way, do you know that beauty is not the way you look? It is the way you feel and the way you think!
“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
Roald Dahl
Leaving you with good thoughts and healing food,
Mihaela
P.S. Want the recipe? Click the image below to download the PDF, and for more recipes, tips, support and accountability join the Private Face Book Community.
