Keen-wah, que-huh, ken-what? Oh, quinoa! From picky eaters to people who eat anything quinoa is one of the most versatile, delicious foods you and your family could eat.

Despite it’s funny name, quinoa has quickly become one of the healthiest grains you can consume. Some even say it is one of the world’s “super foods.” However quinoa is not just beneficial for your body but it is also extremely versatile and can be used in any meal. From breakfast to dinner to a mid day snack, quinoa is a great way to add a little pizzazz to any dish.

Gluten free, high in fiber, protein and minerals, quinoa has all of the essential nutrients our bodies needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fiber is one of the nutrients that help us keep our hunger and blood sugar in check.

From pizza crust to pasta, quinoa is a great substitute. Being gluten free it is a great substitute to incorporate into dishes that would normally contain a gluten product.

Quinoa is easy to make too! It is as simple as boiling 2 cups water or chicken broth (if you want a little more flavor) to 1-cup quinoa and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Your end product should be a nice light and fluffy grain.

If you don’t know where to start, no worries cook the quinoa and then add to any dish or make the quinoa the main part of the dish.

What we’ve learned about quinoa; it has all of the nutrients our bodies need, its versatile, it’s a great substitute, and it’s easy to cook.  Looks like there is no way to go wrong with quinoa. Now go ahead and give it a try!

Quinoa Arugula Salad

• 1-cup quinoa
• 1-cup arugula
• 1 heirloom tomato
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 soy sausage-less sausage
• 1 red bell pepper
• 5 sliced black olives
• ½ of a cucumber

Vinaigrette

• 4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tsp. lime
• ¼ Tsp. salt
• ¼ Tsp. pepper

Directions

1.  Cook quinoa according to package directions.

2.  Put arugula into a big salad bowl.

3.  Dice up the heirloom tomato, cucumber and red bell pepper and add to the arugula.

4.  Then add pomegranate seeds and black olives.

5.  Chop up the sausages and on the stove in a sauté pan add ½ cup of water and cook the sausages until golden brown on both sides.

6.  Once the quinoa and sausages are done add it to the arugula.

7.  Combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette and pour over salad.

Happy Eating! 

The post Que-Huh, Oh, Quinoa! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

It goes without saying that a nutritious diet is essential for anyone looking to get in shape, lose weight, or simply improve their overall health. Eating patterns that give your body enough of the vitamins and minerals it needs and stay within your recommended daily calorie intake have been proven to boost overall health and well-being. Anyone can implement a more healthful diet into their lifestyles with some time and effort.

The one of the biggest obstacles, however, to eating better is finding healthy foods and recipes that are not chocked full of substances considered more harmful to your health like saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugar. If a recipe is high in those substances or too calorie-dense, you should think twice. It can also be discouraging when you consider giving up your favorite dishes.

Even you come across a delicious recipe that is not necessarily healthful, though, there are plenty of cooking substitutes to use in place of other ingredients. Here are some of the most common substation items for baking or cooking recipes:

1.  Whole Wheat White Flour – Use whole wheat flour when baking instead of all-purpose white flour that has been processed. Whole wheat flour, and whole grains in general, have more fiber that will help to keep you full and reduce cravings throughout the day. Whole grains are also more nutritious.

2.  Unsweetened Applesauce – When a recipe calls for sugar, try using unsweetened applesauce instead. Using applesauce for baked goods like bread and muffins will cut down on saturated fat and calories while increasing the fiber content. You can also try any fruit puree or some natural sweeteners like honey, fruit juice concentrate, or Stevia instead of granulated sugar.

3.  Plain Greek Yogurt – Mayonnaise and sour cream are loaded with calories and saturated fat. Try low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt in their place. Greek yogurt contains healthful probiotics for your gut and lots of protein. Be sure to check the labels, though, because many kinds of Greek yogurt are full of added sugars.

4.  Avocado and Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Try using avocado in place of either oil or butter. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats, and these types of fats have been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Extra-virgin olive oil is also a healthier substitute for other types of cooking oils. Extra-virgin olive oil can be used for sautéing, and it can serve as a great alternative for creamy salad dressings that are high in saturated fat.

5.  Ground Turkey – Red meats like beef and pork are high in fat content and have been linked to all kinds of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Try using ground turkey instead or consider vegetarian substitutions like tofu or vegetarian ground beef crumbles.

When looking at recipes, either online or ones given to you, it is always important to look at their nutrition facts first. If they are not provided, there are several recipe analyzers that can provide this information. Moreover, using more healthful cooking substitutes can help you eat better and still enjoy your favorite food combinations.

The post Healthy Cooking Substitutes appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.