Quinoa, the breakfast of champions... or just clever folk.

Eat this. 

I love quinoa. Pronounce it like this: "keen-wah". I buy it in a 4-lb package at Costco for like ten bucks. Recently, in an effort to really improve my fitness and to shed some vanity pounds, I started eating it for breakfast. It is the PERFECT BREAKFAST FOOD! Here are some fun facts about quinoa.

1 cup of cooked quinoa has...

222 calories
4 grams of fat
29 grams of carbohydrates (very complex ones!)
5 grams of fiber
8 grams of protein!
15% of your RDV of iron (!)

~ not very well known in North America
~ HUGE staple in South America
~ it is referred to as "mother grain" but is not a true grain... it's a seed of the Goosefoot plant
~ beets, spinach, and swiss chard are all relatives of quinoa
~ there are almost 120 species of it!


Quinoa is high in protein, iron AND calcium, contains several B vitamins and vitamin E.  Its protein is considered to be a complete protein due to it having an almost perfect balance of all 8 essential amino acids that are needed for tissue development.

Quinoa can be cooked in whatever liquid you want and flavored any way you want! It is a great filler-upper and I love to eat it before and/or after workouts for energy. Fiber, protein and carbs all in one. Here's how I make it for breakfast... I make a big batch and keep it in the fridge.

NOTE: You should always rinse quinoa before cooking it!

1. Rinse two cups of quinoa in a strainer until the water runs clear. 
2. Put the quinoa into a large saucepan with four cups of almond, soy, or rice milk -- I used almond milk which is devoid of protein, so if you want MORE protein, use soy milk -- it has 6g per 8 oz.
3. Add in 2-3 packets of Stevia sweetener. 
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, COVER, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the spiral "tail" of the quinoa emerges from the seed. It will be frothy-- most liquid should be absorbed. 
5. Let the quinoa cool a little and serve warm or cold (I prefer warm!) with a sprinkle of brown sugar and/or cinnamon, or enjoy it plain! You can even add in raisins, dates, almonds, walnuts... the list goes on! It's as big or small of a meal as you want it to be.