If you’ve seen the previous blog entry, you read the good news…fat loss does NOT mean you have to go low carb! Yes, there are plenty of carbs that you should be running away from (and I mean run away screaming) but hey, that’s also the case with many proteins and fats. The real trick to fat loss is knowing which foods are the good and which are the bad in every category (Hint: Read your Diet Solution Manual…the answers are there!)

Back to what we were discussing…there are plenty of delicious and extremely healthy grains that are a perfect fit to your DSP plan. Last week we started with rice and all the varieties of rice available on the market. Today I’m going to fill you in on a super grain that has been all the rave these days (like if grains were celebrities, this one would be Hannah Montana).

Introducing….

Quinoa

Seems like the only problem with quinoa is that nobody knows how to say it. Since its origins are in South America and my father is a native of Peru, I’m pretty positive that the pronunciation is:

KEEN-wah

Nutritionally, quinoa can be considered a super grain, although it’s not really a grain, but the seed of a leafy plant that’s distantly related to spinach. Quinoa is incredibly high in protein (very unlike other grains), and is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid). A pretty awesome list of good qualities, don’t you think?

As I mentioned above, my father is originally from Peru and grew up in a small Incan village where quinoa was a staple of their every day diet. Just recently I went on a business trip to Connecticut and left my 7 month old son with my parents for 2 nights. I left the baby prepared with all his needs, one of them being stored breast milk that I had been stocking up in preparation for the trip. My dad then shared an interesting fact about quinoa that I didn’t know. He said “Did you know that in the villages of Peru, when a mother cannot breast feed, they boil Quinoa and use the water as milk for the baby?” According to my dad, those children grow healthy and strong. Wow! A true testament to the amount of nutrition that is available from this grain.

Now, for many of us, we’re not exactly trying to replace mother’s milk here, but we are trying to achieve our ideal weight and an increased level of health, so how does quinoa fit in there?

Well, since quinoa does not contain gluten or wheat, it is a perfect carbohydrate to include into your meal plans when you’re following the “no wheat” plans (be sure to read the Grains chapter in your DSP manual for details on why wheat and/or gluten may be preventing you from losing weight).

Quinoa is also very high in protein and one of the great things about protein is that it keeps your blood sugar levels stable and makes you feel full longer (and nobody likes to be hungry, right?)

So where can you include quinoa into your weight loss and healthy meal plans? It’s actually a perfect fit into your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since it is considered a carb, be sure to combine it with a protein for a complete, delicious and filling DSP meal.

Here is one of my favorite breakfast recipes

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa (serves 4)

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup water

1 cup organic quinoa, ( rinse quinoa before cooking)

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries and cinnamon (you can also add a little stevia to sweeten); transfer to four bowls and top with pecans or walnuts.

I love this hot breakfast and it’s a nice change of pace from oatmeal all the time.

Are we done with our “Grain Story”? Nope, not yet. Stay tuned for some more healthy grain facts and some more of my favorite recipes.

Have a great day!

Filed under:
Fitness, Weight Loss by Isabel