Does your pantry have quinoa seeds? It does not? Then you are missing out on a nutritious food item. It is a protein-rich food and also a seed that has all essential amino acids. So, you can understand why quinoa seeds should be part of your diet. It is naturally gluten-free, a plus for all people who don’t eat gluten. It comes in three varieties- black, white, and red. For a person eating or cooking it for the first time, go with white or black ones.
Let’s see what benefits these nutritious seeds provide us.
- It is rich in fiber and protein. Thus, it reduces your appetite while increasing metabolism, helping you lose weight.
- They are high in antioxidants
- It works wonders on your metabolic health
- Low in glycemic-index
Quinoa seeds are excellent for our health, as we read above. There are superfood mix seeds packets that you can buy. They have quinoa seeds along with other seeds and dried berries.
Now, let’s check some recipes on using quinoa in your diet?
Plain quinoa seeds
Most people use it as a replacement for rice. So, they make it plain in only water.
To make this, you need:
- Water- 2 cup
- Quinoa seeds- 1 cup (uncooked)
Recipe:
- Rinse quinoa well in water.
- In a saucepan, add water and quinoa and let it come to a boil. Add a bit of salt. (You can even add pepper)
- After a while, reduce to low heat and let the quinoa seeds cook with a lid on for 15 minutes.
- Now, check to see if they are cooked (like you check rice).
Vegetable quinoa Seeds
Don’t want to eat your quinoa seeds plain? Then cook it with tons of vegetables.
To make this, you need:
- Cooked quinoa – 1cup
- Zucchini- 1
- Bell peppers- 1
- Onion- 1
- Tomato-1
- Broccoli-1 (boiled)
- Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
- Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Recipe:
- Cut all vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.
- Now, in a pan, add a bit of oil. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Now, add all vegetables with a bit of salt and saute them.
- After that, add all the spices you prefer and mix them well.
- Add quinoa seeds and properly combine everything. Serve hot and enjoy.
Quinoa seeds mix
You can also make a trail mix using quinoa.
To make this, you need:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Watermelon seeds
- Quinoa seeds (cooked)
- Berries (dried, any)
- Cashew.
Recipe:
- In a big bowl, mix them all and add some salt and pepper. You can also dry roast them, and then add herbs and spices to make it flavorsome.
- Also, buy superfood mix seeds online and do not go to all this trouble.
Salad with quinoa
Try using these protein-rich quinoa seeds in your salad.
To make this, you need:
- Salad of your choice
- Quinoa
Recipe:
- In a bowl, prepare your salad using all your favorite ingredients.
- Boil quinoa seeds and sprinkle them on your salad.
- A protein-rich breakfast or dinner is ready within minutes.
Quinoa stuffed zucchini
Zucchini is an extremely healthy vegetable. Make it tastier and healthier by adding quinoa seeds.
To make this, you need:
- zucchini – 4
- Quinoa seeds- 1 cup (cooked)
- Pepper
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Garlic & cashew paste
Recipe:
- Peel the zucchini and hollow it out
- In a pan, add some oil, add garlic cashew paste. Let it cook, and then add cooked it. Now, add herbs and spices.
- Saute it well.
- Add to zucchini and grill it later.
- Eat it as it is or as a side dish with some salad.
Try these five recipes to enjoy the nutrients that quinoa seeds provide us. You can also buy superfood mix seeds and enjoy a healthy snack anywhere anytime. In short, add quinoa seeds to your diet in some way to reap its benefits.