I have a low-fat, gluten free and very tasty recipe for you however, I would like to talk about the main ingredient in it: quinoa.

What is Quinoa?
A rare authentic “mother” grain of native Americans. Grown on small plots at over 11,000 feet in the Andes mountains. The environment, seeds, water and methods used produce the nutrients and sweet taste that has made it so sought after.

Conventionally, the seeds of quinoa are considered to be the edible form of the plant while the leaves have generally been overlooked. The leaves and sprouts can be eaten raw or cooked and provide a substantial amount of nutritive value. Utilizing quinoa as a leafy vegetable and a grain crop may provide nutritional and harvest versatility greater than that of a purely vegetative crop or that of a crop grown solely for its seeds.

Quinoa seeds have an exceptionally well-balanced amino acid profile. You could say that the best amino acid profile of all the grains. For example, lysine, an essential amino acid deficient in most grain crops exceeds the concentrations necessary for proper amino acid nutrition in humans. In addition, the sulphur containing amino acids, cystine, and methionine are found in concentrations that are unusually high compared to other plants. Many minerals are found at concentrations greater than that reported for most grain crops; providing they are found in bioavailable forms, calcium, magnesium, and potassium are found in sufficient quantities for a balanced human diet. Most of the other minerals necessary for a balanced diet are found in greater concentrations than in most other crops as well. The pericarp of the quinoa seed contains saponins which may be useful in the human diet and other applications for long-term space travel.

How to Cook
Wash in cold water and rinse well.
Boil 2 cups of water, reduce heat, add 1 cup of quinoa. Simmer 12 minutes.
Let stand for 5 minutes, fluff and enjoy.

And now for the recipe…

Baked Sweet Potato with Lemon Quinoa Salad

Recipe by Ayshim

Servings

servings

Total time

hour

minutes

Baked Sweet Potato with Lemon Quinoa Salad is one healthy, gluten-free, low-fat, plant-based and oil-free dish which will satisfy everyone in the family.

Ingredients

2 medium-sized sweet potato
1/3 cup quinoa (1/3 cup dry quinoa = 1 cup cooked)
2 cups mixed greens
½ avocado
1 lemon (juiced)
1/4 cup cashews (soaked for 4 hours, drained & rinsed)
2 tbsp water (plus extra as needed)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp miso paste (or more to taste)
2 cloves garlic, crushed (minced)
½ tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and carefully prick them all over with a fork. Put them on a baking tray, and bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until tender.
(If you have pre-cooked quinoa, you can skip this step) Rinse the quinoa with cool water and drain excess water. Combine the quinoa and water together at a 1:2 ratio in a pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and cover. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
Let it sit covered for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
While the potatoes and quinoa are cooking, add the cashews, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso, garlic, parsley, and pepper to a small blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick or not blending, add extra water a little at a time.
To a bowl add the greens, quinoa, avocado, and cashew dressing. Gently mix until well combined. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
When the potatoes are done, carefully transfer to a plate and cut them open. Fill them with greens and the lemony quinoa, drizzle the dressing on and enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have medium/large sweet potatoes, you could bake 4 small ones instead. Bear in mind that the baking time will be less with smaller potatoes.
Nutrition: Calories 444 | Fibre 12g | Fat 17g | Sugar 8g | Saturated 3g | Protein 14g | Carbs 61g | Sodium