It’s that time of the year and bells are ringing, carolers are singing, and donations to Salvation Army are on every street corner, and Santa’s getting presents together for all those that been nice, not naughty! However, if your like myself, where you walk a fine line between being a bit naughty but more nice, that shouldn’t leave you out of the sleigh stops!
Similarly, in the world of health and nutrition during the holidays, the waistline and the mind body connection doesn’t lie when you been too naughty with food and lifestyle choices! Therefore, it’s so important this season you are relaxed and not too stressed with the holiday mayhem, and that you are loading up on healthy carbs. Get ready to replace starchy, white flour, and processed carbs this jolly season and say Ho! Ho! to Red Quinoa…
200-350 calories in a single cup serving of red quinoa
Red quinoa is rich in proteins, containing all the essential amino acids.
1-cup serving, you can get 9g proteins, 5g fiber content and 20g carbohydrate content. The quantum of nutrient content depends on the brand of red quinoa.
Red quinoa is also rich in magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorous. It contains high quantities of lysine an essential amino acid.
It helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
Lysine found in red quinoa helps with tissue repair and growth.
High protein and fiber content in red quinoa delays gastric emptying and hence keeps you feeling fuller and more satisfied than white rice
Red quinoa provides a rich source of protein for vegans and vegetarians
Red quinoa provides us with 10% daily value of iron, it is low in fat and contains only healthy unsaturated fat that helps to keep cholesterol levels low and helps maintain heart health
The iron content is used by the body to transport oxygen
Since it is gluten-free, red quinoa suits those who cannot eat gluten-rich foods and who avoid dairy products. The high manganese content helps to regulate blood sugar levels and maintain strong and healthy bones.
The following information in bullet points was taken from the site below
http://www.thesuperfoods.net/quinoa/what-is-red-quinoa-and-benefits
#ZENONAPLATE BERRY QUINOA MUFFINS (GLUTEN FREE)
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time :25 minutes Yields : 24 mini muffins , 10 -11 Big Muffins
Nutritional Information for Mini Muffin with one cranberry on top : Calories: 74
Total Carbs: 13 , Proten: 4 , Fiber: 2 , Fat: 1 Natural Sugars: 4 grams
No Gluten, Butter, white flour, or refined Sugars
#ZENONAPLATE MACRO BREAKDOWN
CARB: RED QUINOA, BANANA, OAT FLOUR, TAPIOCA FLOUR
PROTEIN: EGGWHITE, YOGURT, OAT FLOUR, POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER
FIBER: RED QUINOA
HEALTHY FAT: COCONUT OIL
NATURAL SUGARS: BANANA, HONEY, MONKFRUIT OR STEVIA)
Ingredients
1 cup of cooked Red Quinoa (Cook the night before look at package for instructions)
One
1 1/3 cup of Bob’s Oat Flour (GF)
¼ cup of Tapioca Flour
2 eggwhites
1 cup of plain blueberry chobani greek yogurt, and plain fage yogurt (mixed together
1 Tabespoon of lime juice
1 Tablespoon of Coconut oil
2 Tablespoons of Honey
Half cup of Monk Fruit Sweetner, or Zero Calorie Stevia
½ Tablespoon of cinnamon
½ tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon of salt
3 Tablespoons of powdered peanut butter
One cup of Blueberries
30-40 Pieces of Dried Cranberries
30 Almond Halves
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl peel the banana and then smash it up, and then pour all liquid ingredients followed by dry ingredients. Stir together until dough is mixed completely. Then fold a cup of blueberries in once dough is consistent.
Then take olive oil or coconut oil and spray mini muffin pans. Take a Tablespoon or large spoon and scoop batter and place in each individual muffin pan and make sure it’s evenly distributed in each muffin holder. Then take a spatula and smooth over any uneven bumps in the dough. Then place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, and take out and cool.
I baked the muffins for 25 minutes for a crispier browner muffin. You can do less if you prefer yours less crispy. Then take out and cool for 15-20 minutes and finally garnish with one cranberry and an almond halve. Serve with coconut whip cream for dessert or with smoothie and your morning cup of joe in the morning.
RED QUINOA TOFU STIR FRY WITH SWEET POTATO SAUCE (VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE)
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION : YIELDS 3 SERVINGS PER SERVING
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook : Time: 30 Minutes
Serves Three People
Calories: 344 Carbs: 44.9 Net Carbs: 36.2 Fiber: 9 grams Sugar: 9.2 gram Protein: 13.1 Total Fat: 13 grams .
This dish has vitamin A, Folate, vitamin C, Poatassium, Magnesium, Calcium, choline
#ZENONAPLATE MACRO BREAKDOWN’
CARBS: RED QUINOA, BABY CORN, BELL PEPPERS, SWEET POTATO SAUCE
PROTEIN: TOFU, RED QUINOA
FIBER: RED QUINOA, BABY CORN
HEALTHY FAT: OLIVE OIL, COCONUT MILK
NATURAL SUGARS: SWEET POTATO SAUCE
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Sauce
One cup of Sweet Potato Soup
One lemon squeezed
¼ cup of Coconut milk
1/8 tsp of salt
½ tablespoon of cornstarch
¼ tsp of ginger
¼ tsp of chilli pepper seasoning
Red Quinoa : Cup in half cooked the night before
Stirfry:
½ cup of onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
One block of tofu- cup in half cubed
2 Cup of bell peppers (green, yellow, and red) cook with onion
½ cup of peppers (green, yellow, and red) to cook with quinoa , baby corn
half a lemon squeezed
Chilli pepper seasoning
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Boil Red Quinoa for 20-25 minutes according to directions on the box. Once finished set aside in a strainer.
For the sauce: In a separate bowl mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Make sure the tofu is cubed, the onion, peppers, and garlic are all chopped.
Turn burner on to medium- high and olive oil the pan. Start with the onion and garlic and cook for a minute before adding the 2 cup of diced assorted peppers and then add the sauce and cook for around two –three minutes and season lightly with salt, pepper, and chilli pepper until the tofu has been marinated from the sauce.
Then go on to add a cup in half of quinoa, baby corn, and other half cup of peppers and cook for another minute or two until sauce has thickened up a bit. Then the dish is ready to serve.
#ZENONAPLATE QUINOA TURKEY MEATBALL SANDWICH IN A BUTTER LETTUCE WITH ITALIAN HERB TOMATO SAUCE WITH VEGGIES
NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN ON TURKEY MEATBALLS GLUTEN FREE : 16 Servings
PER SERVING
Calories: 72 calories Net Carbs: 4 Total Carbs: 5 grams Fiber 1 grams Protein : 8 Total Fat: 3 grams
NUTRIONAL BREAKDOWN ON TOMATO MIXTURE WITH LETTUCE WRAP
SERVES THREE SERVINGS AND INCORPORATES 7 LETTUCE WRAPS
PER SERVING
Calories: 138 calories Total Carbs: 18 grams of Carbs Fiber: 5 grams Protein: 5 grams of Fiber Fat: 6 grams of Fat, Sugar: 11
282 Calories, 21 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, two meatballs plus mixture and wrap 9 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbs, low sodium,
#ZENONAPLATE MACRO BREAKDOWN TURKEY MEATBALL SANDWICH
CARBS: RED QUINOA, MUSHROOMS, PEPPERS, TOMATO SAUCE
PROTEIN: GROUND TURKEY, QUINOA
FIBER: PEPPERS, RED QUINOA
HEALTHY FAT: OLIVE OIL
GREEN: LETTUCE
Ingredients
Meatball
1 lb ground turkey (natural brand with no antibiotics)
1 cup of Red Quinoa (Cook the night before) (replaces the bread crumbs)
½ cup of a white onion chopped
½ cup of zucchini grated
½ Tablespoon of dried oregano
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 cup of parsley
One Egg
2 Tablespoons of Gluten Free Soy Sauce
½ tsp of pepper
¼ tsp of cayenne pepper or chilli pepper
lettuce (replaces the bread)
7-8 medium butter lettuce leaves
Tomato Mixture
1 1/2 of Italian Herb Tomato pasta Sauce ( I used muir Organic Italian herb pasta tomato sauce)
2 Cups of mixed peppers that are diced
¼ cup of scallions
2 Tablespoons of Rice Vinegar Lite
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Directions
Meatballs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Spray large cookie sheet or baking pan with olive oil. In a large bowl combine all ingredients under the meatball ingredients together and mix until the meat mixture is uniform. Don’t be afraid to use your hands over a cooking utensil when mixing the meat.
Then use around a Tablespoon in a half to form meatballs and spread on the cookie sheet. Pop in the oven 25 minutes. You can take out a few minutes earlier but always make sure the meat is cooked through.
Mixture
Turn the burner to medium high and put olive oil in the pan. Then put the scallions with the two cups of mixed peppers and two cups of mushrooms. Cook for a minute before seasoning lightly with salt and pepper and add Two tablespoons of the Lite Rice Vinegar, and cook for another minute in half before adding the Italian herb tomato sauce (organic and GF recommended) if there is another tomato sauce you want to use then use that.
Continue to cook for another few minutes until sauce has reduced a bit in form. Then put out the lettuce take a 1/3 cup of veggie tomato mixture and put on on lettuce wrap and then take two meatballs and you are good to go!
