This ancient seed, indigenous to the Andes countries, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru is to be celebrated in 2013 as it has been pronounced by the UN as the International Year of Quinoa. Quinoa has gone from being the Mother of all foods by the Incas, to having its cultivation stifled by the Spanish Colonists and now has been deemed a modern day Super Food.
There is no other grain type (often referred to as a grain) food that contains more plant based protein than Quinoa; it has all 8 amino acids making it a complete protein. Some of the health benefits include:
Magnesium – without it, we cannot produce haemoglobin, this is a mineral found in the small amounts in the body, mostly in the bones, kidneys, liver and pancreas. It aids in the development and/or formation of bones, connective tissue and sex hormones. It also assists with the metabolizing of the nutrients our bodies need from the food we take in.
Iron – is a mineral component to all cells. It is necessary in the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the cells in the body that need oxygen to function. Iron is also part of the production of connective tissue in the body; it helps to maintain the immune system and produces some of the neurotransmitters in the brain.
Copper – is a trace mineral that is essential in the building and maintenance of bone, connective tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs. It works with iron in the production of hemoglobin
Phosphorous – is a mineral that is an important component of our diet. The benefits include the formation of bones, digestion and excretion, the formation of proteins and the balancing of hormones, to name a few.
Manganese – a trace mineral that is found in the bones, the kidneys, the liver and the pancreas. Its primary purpose is to assist in digestion and how the body utilizes the foods and nutrients we take in. Manganese also has a part in production of collagen in skin cells, helps in regulating blood sugar, in the absorption of calcium and in the formation of connective tissue. It also supports the nervous system, reproductive health and sexual hormones.
Riboflavin – is vitamin B2 and it is not a vitamin that is stored in the body which means one must replenish the supply by outside sources. Riboflavin plays a vital role in the body’s metabolism, growth and energy. It also has anti-oxidant properties helping to combat radicals
Fiber – is essential for almost every human body. It is the indigestible particles of plant based foods that move foods through the body. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is responsible for absorbing cholesterol on its way out of the body; it forms a gel like substance in the stomach creating a full feeling; it binds with fatty acids, absorbing cholesterol on its way out of the body thus lowering cholesterol and also regulating blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber is the roughage that assists in moving toxins and fermented food particles through the intestines.
Quinoa in the kitchen:
There was a time when cooking this seed was time consuming and laborious. That is no longer the case. This versatile Super Food is a vessel for flavour and can be served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Google quinoa recipes and you will be surprised at how much information on this relatively newly re-discovered food is out there.
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What’s on the menu this week?
- Quinoa and Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Shell Pasta
- Fiesta Salad
- Napa Cabbage Slaw with Meatless Chicken
- Barbeque Pizza
- Brunch Item: Cheesy Potato Hash
- Dessert: Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bark
Enjoy!
Lyndsay & Laurie
Lyndsay & Laurie
Contact us at lyndsay@vegmenufortheweek.com
Interesting Food Fact
Did You Know?
Just 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and packed with vitamins and minerals. It is definitely a super food!
RECIPE
BreaKfast Quinoa
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp walnuts
1 tbsp pecans
2 tbsp raw cocoa nibs
1 cup coconut, soy or almond milk
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp raw sugar
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp walnuts
1 tbsp pecans
2 tbsp raw cocoa nibs
1 cup coconut, soy or almond milk
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp raw sugar
Cooking Instructions:
1. Combine milk, seeds, nuts , cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa nibs and vanilla extract in small pot and bring to boil,
2. Add quinoa and reduce heat to med low and cook for 10 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed the milk
3. Sweetened to taste
2. Add quinoa and reduce heat to med low and cook for 10 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed the milk
3. Sweetened to taste
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