Healthy Quinoa Salad | HealthyLife

Quinoa is a quick-cooking, gluten-free whole grain (actually a pseudo whole-grain, because it’s cooked like a whole grain but is the seed of a beet relative). Quinoa grows in a rainbow of colors, but the most commonly available are red quinoa, black quinoa and white quinoa. Taste and nutrition are similar among the colors. White quinoa tends to cook up fluffier, while red quinoa and black quinoa have a crunchier texture and the grains don’t stick together as much. Quinoa has the perfect balance of all nine amino acids essential for human nutrition. This type of complete protein is rarely found in plant foods. Quinoa also offers a good dose of fiber and iron. There are 111 calories in each 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa.

Quinoa Salad recipe –

Ingredients:

Two cups red and white quinoa (mixed)

Little salt for taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Fresh ground black pepper

3⁄4 cup chopped fresh tomato

3⁄4 cup diced cucumber

1⁄2 cup thinly sliced scallion

3⁄4 cup red bell pepper

1 cup cooked red lentil

1 cup cooked mung beans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

• Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water and drain.
• Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a 4 quart pot over high heat.
• Add 3/4 teaspoons salt; add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water as needed to keep the quinoa covered, until it cooks and becomes soft. Quinoa cooks very fast within 15-20 minutes
• Drain any water from quinoa and add little olive oil and mix it
• Cool completely at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Add salt, pepper and additional olive oil and lemon juice
• Place cooked quinoa in large serving bowl and toss to break up any clumps.
• Add tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, bell peppers, lentils, mung beans, coriander and parsley leaves and toss.
• Add salt and pepper and serve. Serve with quinoa with pickle as a starter or it can be used as diet dish.