Since finding out that I am allergic to gluten, I had to find new things to incorporate into my diet. One of my favorite new findings is quinoa. Quinoa is a gluten-free whole seed. If you love carbs like I do, and sometimes want to find a healthier alternative to pasta and rice...quinoa is for you!

I spent some time researching this super food today and learned lots that I'll share with you. New Crops Agronomist Dr. Duane Johnson once said, "If I had to choose one food to survive on, quinoa would be the best." Who would have thought? Quinoa may just be the ultimate survival food considering it has almost everything your body needs-fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein. This seed contains all 8 of the essential amino acids. Fun fact: the protein content of quinoa is of the same quality of milk! Ok enough facts...let's get to the good stuff.

Quinoa can be made so many different ways! Make it as a salad, soup, casserole, and even breakfast. Today I made a Southwestern Quinoa Salad for lunch :)

Starring...QUINOA (obviously)....

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of minced jalapenos

In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water and the chicken bouillon cube to a boil. Then, add the cup of quinoa. Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (should look almost like a salsa by the end). After the quinoa cools (unless you want to eat this hot which is perfectly fine), add the black bean/corn mixture and mix well!



This was a tasty and filling lunch, and because I added the black beans I got my full day's serving of fiber! Crazy, huh? I was craving orange juice so washed it down with a small glass.


If you haven't tried cooking quinoa yet, I challenge you to. It is super easy, pretty much just like cooking rice, but healthier! Jeff and I are making gluten-free pizza tonight with some homemade sauce that our neighbors made for us a while ago. It has been in our freezer for a while, so this is the perfect thing to make with it! We haven't had pizza for a while, so we are both VERY excited. I bought gluten-free pizza dough mix at a Celiac's Fair a few months ago that I tasted and loved. Hopefully ours turns out just as good as the one at the fair! I'll try and post some pictures later. I have off of work tomorrow...yay for Veterans Day...and will be keeping track of everything I put in my mouth. So check back tomorrow if you want to follow, "A Day in the Life of my Mouth...and Belly."