How To Cook Quinoa Perfectly

Health Benefits, Ancient Grain Quinoa

Quinoa, is an ancient grain that has been cultivated, harvested and eaten as a cereal for thousands of years by South Americans. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is the seed of a leafy plant that is a distant relative of spinach and beets.

Quinoa was called the “mother grain” by the Incas. Now, as people in the rest of the world learn more about Quinoa, they’re discovering that its ancient nickname was well-deserved. Quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse with many health benefits that should be added to all healthy diets.

Vegetarian – Gluten Free Quinoa

Quinoa is gluten free and a great protein source for vegetarians.

Eating Quinoa is an especially good choice for people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease. In addition it is an ideal grain for vegetarians as it includes all the essential amino acids. It is also gluten free.

Quinoa’s protein content, about 16 percent, is higher than that of any other grain. Wheat also has a high protein content, about 14 percent, but the protein in wheat and most other grains is lacking in the some of the essential amino acids and specifically the amino acid lysine.

In fact, the amino acid composition in Quinoa is almost perfect.  Quinoa along with soy are the only two complete proteins in the plant world.

Harvest Grain Quinoa

You can find quinoa in almost any conventional grocery store.  My local store sells the “Ancient Harvest” brand of quinoa.  The box that I have in my kitchen cupboard looks just like the one pictured on this page.

Perfectly Cooked Quinoa, Easy Recipe

You can make a healthy side dish to serve with dinner using quinoa instead of rice.

• Bring 2 cups quinoa and 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa inverts showing a little spiral line. Perfectly cooked quinoa will be soft and easy to chew.  If there is any remaining liquid at this point, drain it off and set the quinoa aside.
• In a skillet heat some olive oil. Saute diced onion and a couple of cloves of garlic.
• When tender, add in some asparagus tips and ½ cup walnuts. Saute until the asparagus is just done and the walnuts are toasted.
• Toss in your quinoa, stirring until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

It is yummy! The best way to eat is to incorporate a wide variety of foods into your diet.

Americans rely too heavily on processed wheat and corn products.  Try something new.  The ancient grains are fun and full of nutty flavor.  The 6 Week Natural Diet will bring you new eating ideas that keep you healthy with a natural food diet.

How To Cook Sweet Potatoes-Healthy Recipe

Grilled Sweet Potatoes Are The Best

I love grilled sweet potatoes.  Nothing gets any easier or tastier than a sweet potato and a chicken breast for a quick grilled summer (healthy) supper.  Anytime you can eat a sweet potato instead of a white potato, DO IT!

Sweet Potatoes = The Best Healthy Carb

Sweet potatoes are one of the best carbohydrates you can consume. Some nutritionists even include them in the superfoods group. The reason that sweet potatoes are so good for you is that they are almost a balanced meal in themselves.

Sweet potatoes are a healthy choice because they are a good source of:

• Potassium – a mineral that helps to control blood pressure
• Vitamin B6 – good for your blood vessels as well as reducing the risk of heart disease
• Antioxidants – known to fight aging
• Sweet potatoes are a good source of manganese, a mineral that helps with carbohydrate metabolism, making sweet potatoes a better choice for diabetics.

In addition, sweet potatoes are complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber.  This means that the carbs are delivered to the blood stream gradually, which is another benefit for diabetics.  Because they are high fiber, sweet potatoes fill you up, so you eat moderately.

How To Cook A Sweet Potato

The easiest way to cook a sweet potato is either bake it or grill it.  This is a very simple recipe for either baking or grilling your sweet potatoes.

1. Wash the sweet potatoes
2. Drizzle with a good oil like grape seed or olive oil
3. Sprinkle with a nice sea salt or other coarse grain salt
4. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper
5. Sprinkle with an herb blend or a fresh herb of your own (Tonight I used the garlic herb blend from WildTree Herbs. they also carry grape seed oil which is a GOOD oil.)
6. Bake in a 375 * oven until done OR grill on a medium grill until done.

I find that the easiest thing to do is make a few extra every time I fire up the grill or oven, so there are leftovers for lunch or eating in a hurry.  Note: cooking time varies depending on the size of the potato.

Best Natural & Healthy Sugar Substitutes

Best Natural Sweeteners

Generally speaking it is best to reduce and eliminate added sugars or sweeteners whenever possible. Having said that though, we all need to satisfy our sweet tooth on occasion and who wants to totally skip dessert anyway!?  Natural carbohydrates and sweeteners serve several purposes in our bodies.  Creating energy, adding fiber, as well as giving us a wide variety of vitamins and minerals are just a few reasons that we have a desire for sweet things.

Replacing Sugar With Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Americans and especially those who are diabetic seem to try to reduce sugar by consuming non-nutritive sweeteners. Artificially-produced chemical sweeteners serve no purpose to our health and have a negative health effect.  Chemical substitute sweeteners do not give our body the needed energy to maintain life.   As a result a craving for sugar, our body’s preferred choice for energy, is created, causing more empty calories to be consumed. The best substitutes for sugar in a diabetic diet would be to use less sweeteners and those that you do consume should have fiber and minerals whenever possible. Any time fiber is included with a sugar it will slow down the absorption and keep blood sugar levels in line.  Everyone needs sugars to maintain energy levels.  It is a fine line for diabetics to keep energy levels up and blood sugars in line.

All natural sugars contain calories. There is no way around it, so look for value-packed calories and consume in moderation.

Natural Sugar Substitutes

There are many plant based natural sugars that can easily be substituted in various recipes to give sweetness as well as provide natural wholesome goodness in the form of fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. Here are some good sugar substitutes:

Pure Stevia, Recipe & Products

The herb stevia can be purchased in many garden centers across the US and is an easy way to bring pure stevia to your table and your sweet tooth. The herb stevia and the related products are 200-300 times as sweet as refined cane sugar. Pick a stevia leaf and eat it and you will be amazed at how sweet it is for a minimum of calories.  Studies have shown that stevia extract effectively regulates blood sugar.

Try this quick sweet tea stevia recipe!
Brew 2 quarts of hot tea. Instead of adding sugar add 3 crushed stevia leaves to to the warm tea. After brewing, remove the leaves and refrigerate. Experiment with the recipe until you find the sweetness you desire.

Natural Healthy Weight Loss

Healthy living is all about eating real food choices. Refined sugars and chemical substitutes do not contribute to good health at all. Learn more about natural eating choices and how to choose good for you foods in the “6 Weeks To The New You ” healthy living diet.