Skinfood - Quinoa

Quinoa is pronounced Keen-wah and is a grain unlike other grains, it is a great anti aging food and offers many health benefits.

 It was originally cultivated by the Incas more than 5,000 years ago; they referred to it as the “mother of all grains.”
 While quinoa is widely considered a grain, it’s actually the seed of a plant called Chenopodium or Goosefoot, related to chard and spinach. Quinoa has a similar effect as other whole grains in helping to stabilize blood sugar.
It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is also high in magnesium, fibre, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, riboflavin and zinc.

Two important minerals found in quinoa are manganese and copper, these two work together as an antioxidant and help the body fight free radicals, which can cause the body to develop cancer and disease.

 Quinoa is a tiny grain that cooks up like rice and has a mild, nutty flavour and a light, fluffy texture similar to couscous. You can find it next to other grains in health-food stores and in some supermarkets like Tesco.

Try my  favourite recipe with Quinoa:
Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Veggies

Ingredients for 2:

60 g Quionoa
4 tbsp olive oil to cook

2  large red  peppers

1  large courgette,  finely diced

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp basil and oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Salad garnish:

150 g green salad leaves

1 cloves of garlic, minced

6 cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

Oil and Vinergar to marinate

salt and pepper to taste

How to get started:

Cook quinoa:  With one part quinoa and two parts liquid, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes or until the grains are translucent.
Important: The Quinoa needs to be cooked before you get started.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Cut peppers on top, remove the core and seeds. Set aside for now.

 Next, place the saucepan over a medium heat and add olive  oil followed by the onions.

Gradually sweat the onions, stirring occasionally, until almost transparent.

Add the courgettes and the  garlic and cook for about another three  minutes.

add the basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from the heat.

Stuff the peppers with this mixture.Press it down to make sure the mixture is tightly packed.

 Place in the centre of the oven and cook for about 20 minutes.

In a meantime marinate the salad leaves and lay out on a plate.

Take out the  the stuffed pepper from the oven and place in the middle of the salad plate.

Enjoy!

Hope you like it ma beauties! Have you ever tried any Quinoa yet?

xxx Marina

Please follow me on Facebook!