All posts tagged: Quinoa

Chicken & Avocado Quinoa Salad

Serves 2 I love this salad, its my new favourite!! A classic combination of chicken and avocado flavoured with all the great tastes that burst out of a guacamole!! Not being a great avocado fan, (I know….isn’t everyone supposed to love them!!) but knowing how good they are for me, I am so happy to discover a way I can really enjoy eating them.  The flavour is so fresh and clean, I’ll be enjoying this one all year round!! A complete meal, packed full of goodness, this is the second recipe that formed part of the first module on my Diploma in Culinary Medicine and again I have included the supporting information to show the health benefits of the main ingredients in supporting the body against diabetes, obesity & metabolic syndrome. This salad is easy to transport so you can take it with you for a healthy lunch on the go which beats a sandwich and has the advantage of being gluten free! I’ve also made it without chicken and added a good handful of pumpkin …

Quinoa

For my first ingredients post I’ve decided to write about Quinoa. Now the first time I tried this I really wasn’t too keen but now I’m a complete convert! Apparently quinoa is not a true grain, in fact its the seeds that we actually eat!  Over recent years its become increasingly popular because its a ‘complete’ plant based food, packed full of protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre as well as enzymes, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Which all sounds great but what does it mean?! Basically its just so good for you! Its very unusual for a plant to contain so much protein and all the essential amino acids to support a healthy body so quinoa is obviously perfect for vegetarians. But it doesn’t mean its not for non vegetarians as being nutrient dense it makes a cheap and incredibly healthy addition to the diet. Its also low in carbohydrates which means it won’t spike your blood sugar levels and releases its energy slowly into the body. Quinoa is available three varieties, white, red and black. These are …

Quinoa, Feta & Pomegranate Salad

This has quickly become my go to salad!!  I love it.  Although I have to admit that I wasn’t too keen the first time I  cooked quinoa, but with some experimenting I discovered a great way to cook it and how to pack lots of flavour into it!  This recipe really ticks every box, it’s packed with protein, bursting with flavour and with the sparkly red pomegranate seeds, is gorgeous to look at!  A healthy substantial meal, perfect all year round. I’ve always loved roasting vegetables, it brings out the natural sweetness and intensifies their flavour.  The ingredients list may look long but this is one of those recipes where you can play around with the flavours a little and substitute the vegetables you like, whats in season or what you have available in the fridge or garden. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do! If you’re in a real hurry there are some ready cooked pouches of quinoa available in the supermarkets, but check the ingredients as they can have a lot …