Quinoa Salad with Fresh Vegetables

Served on a lettuce leaf, this is a beautiful side salad. 

Son #3 was all about magnesium this morning.  He wanted to talk about the benefits, what it does for your body, how he takes a supplement, and ya di ya....  I know magnesium is really good for you so I cracked open my nutrition books and another book which I love, The World's Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan, to refresh my memory on sources of this wonderful element.  The best sources are dark leafy greens such as chards and spinach (but of course!).  However, it is abundant in many of our foods if you love to eat vegetables, beans, seeds, and cold water fish such as halibut and salmon.  Tofu is also a good source of magnesium.

Inspired by Taylor's enthusiasm, I decided to create a salad recipe using the food guides for magnesium.  Pumpkin seeds were added because they were in the "very good" category as a contributor for magnesium.  Quinoa and tomatoes also provide decent doses of magnesium.

In the salad here, I soaked red quinoa, drained it, and then forgot about it for a couple of days while we hosted a dinner party and, well, it got lost behind all the food in the fridge.  It was sprouting!  No worries.  I gave it a quick dip in hot water to soften it and it is delicious and sweet.



Red or white quinoa will suffice.

Servings:  3 as a main dish, 6 as a side dish
Prep time:  not counting the time I forgot it was in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes

1 C. quinoa, rinsed and drained, then cooked
A handful of mixed cherry tomatoes, quartered
Fresh corn shaved off of one cob
Several sprigs cilantro finely chopped, a few sprigs left for decoration
3 scallions thinly sliced, white parts only
1/4 C. pumpkin seeds
1/2 lemon juiced, a tablespoon or so of olive oil, salt, and pepper, added to dress the salad

The quinoa is underneath all the yummy additions to the salad.

Toss all the ingredients together with dressing.  People think I am crazy but I usually just squeeze a lemon or lime over the salad, drizzle with oil, then season with salt and pepper.  I toss with my hands and taste frequently to make sure the dressing or seasoning is right. 

Raw pumpkin seeds are a very good source of magnesium.

This salad provides about 220 calories as a side dish with about 4 grams fiber, 7 grams protein, and about 8 grams fat, most of which is mono- or poly-unsaturated.  Over half the daily required amount of copper, manganese, and iron are in this salad with magnesium coming in at about 1/3 the daily requirement.

So back to magnesium.  It is vital to bone health in that it helps with bone mineralization.  It is vital to the ATP cycle (think energy production in our cells), helps with myelin sheath health (nerves), heart health and immune function boosts.  Magnesium relaxes muscles and nerves.  It is hard to overdose on magnesium, but the common symptoms are diahrrea if you decide to up your intake of it. 

As always, your best sources of nutrients to stay healthy are in the food choices you make in your diet.

Experiment and enjoy!

- Kim Fielding

A Summer Meal (1)

The grilled pineapple, grilled zucchini, and tomato salad have been featured previously.  Add the proteins and grain and voila!  A meal fit for a king, or at least my family of men.

Pork tenderloin is a lean and mean protein.  We don't have to worry so much about trichinosis like our parents did and these days we can cook pork to medium rare without concern.  Lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, grill until done. Using the same grill, cook the side dishes except the quinoa.  (It would slip through the grill - Ha!).

The quinoa was cooked over the stove according to package directions. In the meantime, heat a little olive oil and butter and saute carrots, onions/shallots, and garlic until softened.  Add the quinoa to the mix and blend well.

I typically use 1 whole carrot, 2 shallots or 1/2 of one whole onion, and a clove or two of garlic.  All are chopped finely.  Chopped parsley is a delicious addition as is a hint of salt and pepper.

Four ounces of grilled pork tenderloin, 1/4 cup quinoa salad, grilled zucchini and pineapple, and a serving of tomato salad offers less than 550 calories assuming you eat everything.  The great news is that the pork and quinoa offer almost 900 mg potassium!

Potassium is essential for helping nerves and muscles function properly (and help with cramping), lower risk of high blood pressure, and ensure metabolic balance with electrolytes and pH.

- Kim Fielding

Quinoa Salad with Dried Apricots, Toasted Almonds and Avocado

This salad was a hit with everyone in the family.

Reading through Cook Fresh by Fine Cooking magazine (Spring 2012), I came across this quinoa salad which, for last minute prep, contained ingredients that I had on hand.  The original recipe featured a cumin-lemon vinaigrette, but the kids didn't like it so much.  Instead, we are using a relatively simple lemony vinaigrette.  Of course, you can always adjust recipes to fit your particular taste.

Serves:  5            Cook and prep time:  20 minutes

1 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed
Salt
2 scallions, sliced
1 firm-ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup almond slivers, toasted
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
A hint of fresh minced garlic, optional

Any variety of quinoa will do.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.  Cook the quinoa until tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Drain any extra water from the quinoa and turn it out on a baking sheet to cool.

Prepare the scallions, avocado, apricots, and almond slivers and set aside.

Zest the peel from the lemon and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice.  Add to a bowl.  Whisk in the oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Garlic may be added at the point, and it is good with or without.  Just not too much.

In a large bowl, stir together the cooled quinoa, scallions, avocado, apricots, almond slivers, and dressing.  Mix together thoroughly.  Adjust seasoning if needed.

This salad offers just less than 200 calories per serving as well as almost 4 grams fiber.

- Kim Fielding

Red Quinoa Salad

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wa, comes from South America and was a staple food for the Incas. Although most consider it a whole grain, it is actually classified as a pseudocereal or seed. As a great source of fiber and protein, iron and other elements, one 3-½ ounce serving of uncooked quinoa contains 350 calories, 14 grams of protein, 7 grams dietary fiber, and 6 grams of fat (15% of the serving). This is a super food in that it really packs a nutritional punch.

Quinoa needs to be rinsed before cooking. Place it in a bowl and cover with water. Let it sit for a short while then drain through a sieve. Rinse it in the sieve and then proceed with cooking. It can be cooked in a rice cooker or on the stove top. Like rice, quinoa is cooked in 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. On the stove top, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook until all the water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. It should have a slightly crunchy texture.

Red Quinoa Salad

serves:  4               prep and cook time:  25 minutes

2 cups water
1 cup red quinoa
1 cup mixed roasted vegetables (leftovers work great), such as asparagus, peppers, red onion,
sweet potato, or other
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese, or small cubes of other cheese (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil, chopped, optional

Cook the quinoa. While the quinoa is cooking, chop your roasted vegetables into ½ inch pieces and set aside. Drain the cooked quinoa and add to a bowl. Let cool.

Mix in the roasted vegetables and optional goat cheese and stir thoroughly. Add a splash of olive oil, optional basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

As an alternative to olive oil, a light vinaigrette may be used to moisten the salad.  Calories for 1/3 cup is approximately 350 calories and offers almost 10 g protein, over 4 g fiber, and a healthy dose of iron.

Simple Meal Suggestion:                                       

Red Quinoa Salad

Tossed green salad with avocado, tomato
and a light vinaigrette

Grilled chicken thigh (skin not eaten)

Approximately 600 calories for the entire meal
- Kim Fielding