Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 7/8 cup water
2 beets, peeled and chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped arugula
1 orange peeled, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Dressing:

¼ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or brown rice syrup
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse quinoa well. Place in saucepan and under a low flame, dry the quinoa until fragrant.
Add water and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a low flame, add a pinch of salt, simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is soft.
Keep covered for about 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.
Place beets in a steamer with water on the bottom. Boil for about 10 minutes or until soft. Drain water.
To make dressing, combine orange juice, tamari, balsamic vinegar, honey and parsley in a bowl and whisk.
Combine quinoa with dressing and mix gently. Add beets, oranges and arugula and walnuts.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Yield: 12 (1/2 cup each servings), 80 calories, 2 grams fat, 1.8 grams fiber

Why Eat Quinoa?

Quinoa is a seed that is prepared just like any grain with some amazing added benefits. It is gluten free, cooks in 15 minutes and is packed with protein, antioxidants, and fiber. Quinoa is a complete protein which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t make. Most grains lack all the amino acids so if you’re a vegetarian, you’d have to combine grains with other foods to obtain all the nutrients we need. Most grains take at least 30 minutes to cook. Well, welcome quinoa! If you have 15 minutes, you have time to prepare it. It contains a host of antioxidants and ant-inflammatory compounds to help keep our immune system strong. All the fiber helps regulate our digestion as well as keep our blood sugar regulated. Saponin is a substance on the outer layer that can be bitter. It is easily rinsed off quinoa before cooking it. The best way to prepare it is to fill a bowl with water, place quinoa in bowl and swish it around. Drain it. Add quinoa to stockpot and over medium heat dry the quinoa. It should have a nutty aroma. Some people have told me that quinoa can be mushy. Well the trick to it being fluffy and rice-like, is to use slightly less than a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to quinoa. If you are using 1 cup of quinoa, only add 1 7/8 cups liquid. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes. Turn off heat when all liquid has been absorbed and the grain looks like it has little white tails. Take off cover and let it cool a little! Then you can fluff it with a fork. It can be frozen after cooked so you always have the start of a healthy meal ready.