As I was looking for recipes on quinoa this week I couldn’t help but laugh when I came across a website (health website none the less) entitled ’3 fat chicks’. Out of curiosity on how someone could in good conscience label a health website that, I clicked on the link only to find that the domain picture was in fact 3 chicks…As in little chickens. I digress that the website had plenty of great health information, great recipes and was not promoting anything adverse to health. With that being said, I’d like to thank them for helping enlighten me on a few more interesting facts about quinoa! If you haven’t given quinoa a shot yet, I’m going to continue to pester on why this should be a staple in your daily diet!
A few weeks back on the blog healthy fats were encouraged, well guess what? Quinoa contains the healthy polyunsaturated fats that should be included in your diet. If you’re trying to lose a few extra pounds, eliminate the bad fats from your diet, not all fats! Another great benefit of quinoa is for those of you who are lactose intolerant, vegans or are just looking for an alternative calcium source, quinoa has about 30 milligrams of calcium in one cooked cup. Another nutrient that many may overlook but is really important to get enough of is iron- it can greatly improve your energy (especially ladies, it’s necessary you get enough in your diet), and thank goodness quinoa can provide 15% of your daily recommended dose.
This weeks healthy quinoa recipe is toasted quinoa salad with scallops and snow peas! If you’re not a huge seafood fan, you can substitute the scallops for lean, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes. Chicken breasts are a great protein substitute in any recipe that requires a protein that you may not enjoy, so don’t skip over recipes because of ingredients, experiment with substitutes and enjoy!
Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops and Snow Peas
Ingredients
12 ounces of scallops (or other protein)
4 tablespoons of soy sauce (try to buy one that has a low sodium content)
4 tablespoons of olive oil, + 2 teaspoons of olive oil separate
1 1/2 cups quinoa, well rinsed
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup snow peas (sliced 1/2 thick)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup of finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions
1. Toss scallops with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt, and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir). Remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas, cover and let stand for 5 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa, snow peas scallions and bell pepper, toss to combine.
4. Remove the scallops from the marinade and pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and cook the scallops, turning once, until golden and just firm, about 2 minutes total. Gently stir the scallops into the quinoa salad. If desired, add the cilantro for garnish.
Enjoy!
- Guest Blogger ML
Filed under: Food Products & Brands, Healthy Eating Tips, Meal Planning, Recipes, Vitamins and Minerals Tagged: calcium, iron, nutrition, quinoa, recipe
