A quick story about Quinoa and a wonderful lunch recipe perfect for any day of the week….

Quinoa is one of my favorite foods. It can be enjoyed at any meal and is especially nice as a breakfast alternative!

Did you know that Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a seed not a grain? It is harvested from a plant related to beets and spinach.

Indigenous to the Andes, quinoa has been cultivated in Bolivia, Chile and Peru for more than 3,000 years. Capable of thriving in depleted, salty soils, the tall plant shoots up a spike of brightly colored flowers that come in a range of red and pink hues; the seeds that those flowers turn into are what end up in your bowl!

Nutrition-wise, quinoa has awesome benefits. One cup contains 8 grams of protein; in comparison, brown rice has 5. It is a complete protein, gluten free, and has a nutty flavor. Quinoa packs plenty of other nutrients too: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, Vitamin E, Potassium, lysine, iron and fiber.
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Quinoa & Broccoli Salad With Almonds
Serves 2

This salad, served at room temperature, is gluten-free, and has plenty of nutrients: protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

You can prepare it ahead of time and take it with you to the office for a nutrient-packed, delicious lunch.

Ingredients:
½ cup quinoa, uncooked
½ cup raw almonds
1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 tsp. flax seeds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups broccoli
1 large avocado
a piece of turmeric root (or turmeric powder)
sea salt
cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions:
First, prepare the quinoa. Usually, you won’t need to rinse it under cold water, as it has already been washed during the manufacturing process.

Place the quinoa in a pan, and then add 1 cup warm water and half a teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about ten minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other ingredients.

Steam the broccoli for 3 to 5 minutes only, in order to get the most of its nutrients.

In a food processor, blend together almonds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds for a few seconds.

Peel and dice the avocado. Now combine the cooked quinoa together with the almonds and seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, and broccoli. Serve half of the salad on each plate and top with the diced avocado, some grated turmeric (or a pinch of turmeric powder) and a few cilantro leaves, if using.

Sources:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13980/perfect-weekday-lunch-quinoa-broccoli-salad-with-almonds.html

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/quinoa-recipes.php