KEEN-WA

#WHATHEALTHYMODELSEAT

When in doubt, make quinoa. 

Pronounced “keen-wa.” A friend of mine eats it all the time and a few weeks ago at a casting, he caught me off guard by calling it “que-noa!” It is quite a fancy word yet some of us have never been told how to properly say it.

But what is this powerful little grain that we’ve all been obsessing over? Well, for those who are on wheat/gluten free permanent hiatus, this grain can do wonders. Or if you’re planning on quitting a wheat free belly or cutting down on simple carbs, quinoa is a fantastic substitute.

Quinoa contains more vitamins and nutrients than any other grain. It is one of the most protein rich foods you can have in your diet and contains all essential amino acids which is rare to find in grains. Even better than brown rice. Low in fat, high in iron and fiber and promotes a healthy digestion, it is no wonder why it’s been dubbed as one of the world’s super foods!

Tonight I couldn’t figure out what to eat, so my go to dish is this simple and deliciously filling bowl. It’s quick to make and contains everything I need: protein, veggies and healthy grains/carbs.

All you need:

1/2 cup of quinoa

1 cup of spinach

1 cup of kale

Handful of arugula

Broccoli

1/4 of chickpeas and/or lentils (soaked and washed) – optional

Pine nuts

Lemon

Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Pepper and/or seasoning to taste (NO SALT!)

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Simmer on low heat for about 8 minutes covered. Add in chopped kale, broccoli and lentils/chickpeas while there’s still a bit of water left in the pot. Add 1/5 of water if necessary. Cook for another 7 minutes or until water is absorbed. Take off heat and fluff with a fork. Let stand for a few minutes. Prepare your plate by tossing spinach and arugula with pine nuts. Drizzle with oil and one squeeze of lemon. Add cooked quinoa with veggies and toss all ingredients. Season with some black pepper. And voila! Healthy good food made easy.

I paired my bowl with my homemade gluten/wheat/dairy free flax flat bread. I will share that recipe with you on another day. It was really good by the way! 😉

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