Power Food Of The Week!

I've decided to write about a power food every week. This week, I've chosen quinoa, because it is absolutely amazing and I've become obsessed with it, especially within the last year.

So what the heck is quinoa (Keen-wah)? It's a grain, an incredibly nutritious one!

As we all know, proteins are made up of amino acids. While vegetarians often get their sources of protein from grains, nuts, ect, they aren't getting all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need. What is so awesome about quinoa is that it provides all of the amino acids, making it a great source of protein.
Besides that, it is also incredibly high in fiber and helps to keep you feeling full longer. Lastly, for those who need it, quinoa is gluten-free.
Now most foods that are this good for you normally don't taste very good, but I can vouch that quinoa is definitely an exception. While it may not taste as good as white rice with butter and salt, it has a great grainy texture, and if you're not into the taste at first, you can simply swap half of your brown rice for quinoa and mix the two together to get a great source of carbs and protein.

Since I don't eat any meat other than fish, it's really difficult for me to get enough protein in during the school week. So, what I like to do is cook a huge batch of quinoa during the weekend (you cook it basically the same way as rice), and then bring it with me to school and heat it up for dinner. For example, tonight I had a big bowl with some almonds mixed in, and it was delicious! I also often use it in place of rice when I'm making a shrimp and veggie stir fry. However, it's not specifically a "dinner food," there are plenty of other recipes with it, such as mixing it in with your oatmeal in the morning.

So, the next time you go to the grocery store to get some rice, pause and remember reading this post and the awesome benefits you can get by switching to quinoa-- or at least adding some in with your meal. And if the health benefits I've described don't persuade you to make a change, it's just kind of fun to say.