Top 5 Healthy Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa is one of the best carbohydrate substitutions you make on a healthy diet. This little “grain,” as people often mistakenly call it, is actually a seed. And it’s packed full of protein, healthy complex carbs, and fiber to fill you up and boost your metabolism.
It also has a pretty high vitamin and mineral content, making it ideal for people trying to lose weight, get fit, or build muscle.
Today, I’m reviewing 5 of the best quinoa recipes to support a healthy, whole foods diet. I recommend adding quinoa to your diet whenever possible!
Top 5 Quinoa Recipes to Keep You Fit!
1. Quinoa & Tofu Salad – This first pick is a great vegetarian meal option for dinner or lunch, or alternatively, it can be used as a healthy side dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- ¼ cup of lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 small package of firm tofu, diced
- 1 small green pepper, diced
- 1 cup of grape of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup of cucumber, diced
- ½ cup of fresh mint, chopped
- ½ cup of fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Allow cooked quinoa to cool in the fridge for an hour. Then mix in lemon juice and olive oil and coat thoroughly. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
2. Simple Quinoa – Looking for something a little simpler? This is the easiest way you can prepare quinoa. Use this recipe as a side dish or add chicken or shrimp for a more complete meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a large skillet, heat zucchini and frozen peas in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just tender. Add garlic, remaining olive oil, and cooked quinoa. Stir gently to combine, and add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 5 or 6 servings.
3. Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops – This one’s super tasty, and it’s great for all the seafood lovers out there. Substitute with grilled chicken if you’d like.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces of dry sea scallops, cut in ½ inch slices
- 4 teaspoons of soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons of canola oil
- 1 ½ cups of quinoa
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3 cups of water
- 1 cup of snow peas
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup of rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions: Coast scallops with soy sauce and set aside. Bring a large skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and then the quinoa (uncooked). Stir constantly until the quinoa browns lightly (usually 7 minutes or so). Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add water and bring to a boil, continuing to cook quinoa according to package instructions. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, and toss with 3 tablespoons of canola oil, vinegar, and sesame oil. Add in snow peas. Separately, bring a skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining canola oil. Cook scallops for about 2 minutes on each side, and gently stir into the quinoa salad. Makes about 4 servings.
4. Tomato & Parmesan Quinoa – This one’s another easy option, and it’s pretty tasty. It makes a great side to chicken parmesan.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup of marinara sauce
- ½ small can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a large skillet, bring marinara sauce and crushed tomatoes to medium heat. Add quinoa, garlic powder, and onion powder, and allow to simmer for 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve. Makes about 4 servings.
5. Vanilla Quinoa Pudding – Looking for a healthy, protein packed dessert? Quinoa can also be prepared with something a little sweet.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of whole milk (substitute with soy or almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons of real vanilla extract
- ¼ cup of maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup of quinoa
Directions: Add milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add quinoa and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has thickened, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or cooled, and top with berries and/or cinnamon as desired.
Metabolism-Boosting Tip #1 – If you want to substitute your olive oil with a serious fat burner, try cooking with Nutiva Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil. It’s been shown to significantly enhance metabolism!
Metabolism-Boosting Tip #2 – Make your quinoa salads even healthier by sprinkling them with Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds. They’re an easy way to give your metabolism an extra boost!
Have any questions or feedback about these healthy quinoa recipes? Please leave a comment below…
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Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.