It's a sign when in the past two weeks, three different people have asked about Quinoa. I figure if three people are asking, more of you just haven't had time to ask as well.
Quinoa is a grain. It's been proclaimed as an ancient grain, the queen of grains, and close to super food status. I'm going to stick with calling it what I know- a grain. Since it is a grain, its primary macro breakdown is carbohydrate. While it has a fair amount of protein (for a grain) and some healthy fats too, it is a grain and in our meal planning should be treated as such. It is a bit different than wheat as a grain because it is gluten free and eaten more like a seed than a cereal type of grain.
With all that being said. Here is one way to enjoy quinoa in a cold summer salad.
Quite the Quinoa Spinach Salad
- ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 1 pound of turkey kielbasa
- 1/2 cup black berries or raspberries
- ½ cup walnuts
- 6 cups of fresh spinach
Don’t forget to rinse the quinoa. You’ll be an unhappy camper if you spend time fixing a meal that you can’t eat. Quinoa has a coating that is easily rinsed off with water right before cooking. It tastes bitter without that rinse. Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse until the water runs clear before going to the stovetop.
Bring 1 cup of water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 12 minutes. Set aside. Cook kielbasa on a grill over medium heat. Set aside to cool, then slice into ½ moon shapes. Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with your favorite dressing.
Once it gets closer to Fall, I use 2 apples, sliced, in place of the berries for a perfect Fall time salad.
Enjoy good food,
Coach Nancy