In case you don’t know what to make for thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas or any holiday get together. This Quinoa will BLOW everyone’s mind. I promise you even the less healthy people that say they don’t eat quinoa because it taste like cardboard, will love this recipe. True fact, been there done that 😉
The truth is, whoever says quinoa tastes bad it’s because they really don’t know how to make it (sorry), and there are millions of ways to make it. Quinoa quickly absorbs the taste of anything you make it with so that makes endless possibilities.
Quinoa is a superfood. It’s gluten free, high protein and one of the only plant based foods that have all 9 essential amino acids. It’s actually technically a seed with many health benefits, some of which are:
- Contains flavonoids that been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-depressants effects.
- One cup of cooked quinoa has 5 grams of fiber that helps in lowering cholesterol, lowering blood glucose, increase satiation, and help in weight loss.
- It packs 8 grams of high quality protein per cup including all 9 essential amino acids, which makes it great choices for vegans and vegetarians.
- It’s high in magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron, which are minerals most people lack. However, it is very high in phytic acid which binds to minerals in your body and excretes them! This is why it is VERY important to rinse and soak quinoa before cooking it.
- Some studies have shown that it improves metabolic health by lowering blood sugar and triglycerides.
- It’s super high in antioxidants that protect you against cancer.
- It may help you loose weight by helping you feel full for longer periods of time
- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa (I used the tricolor blend)
- 3 cups of diced butternut squash (1/2 - 1 inch cubes)
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- ¼ cup of finely chopped red onion
- ⅓ cup of dried cranberries
- 4 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
- Himalayan salt to taste
- For the dressing:
- Juice of 2 oranges
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 1 tbsp of raw honey
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- In a bowl, mix the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of Himalayan salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 17-20 minutes
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the specifications on the package (always remember lo soak the quinoa)
- In a large bowl combine quinoa, cooked butternut squash, the finely chopped red onion, the dried cranberrys, pumpkin seeds, and the chopped parsley.
- For the honey orange dressing combine all ingredients and add to the quinoa.
Leave a Reply