Harvested Quinoa Seeds
By Cat, May 2010 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
See also: 1. Salads Menu; 2. Quinoa (About); 3. Soaking, Sprouting Nuts & Seeds; 4. Mushrooms (About)
On my ketogenic diet I have learned about the importance of eating nuts, especially sprouted or at least pre-soaked nuts. They are high in fat and a reasonable source of protein, while being relatively low in carbs. I’m intrigued by this almond-quinoa combination.
Mushrooms are a healthful addition, but to get maximum benefit of their nutrients, they should not be eaten raw. Their cells have a type of membrane that is not broken down by chewing, so if you eat them raw, you don’t get the nutrients inside the shells. Instead, I recommend steaming them before dicing and adding to the salad.
Almond & Quinoa Salad
This recipe is adapted from Better Nutrition, May 2010 issue (1); the original recipe is by Cynthia Pasquella, CCN (2) see cynthiapasquella.com. Her original recipe did not suggest sprouting the quinoa or almonds, so I don’t know that I’d generally follow her nutritional advice, but the celebrities seem to like her. She also doesn’t pre-cook the mushrooms, which is necessary if you want to get any of the fungi’s nutrients.
The original recipe does not have a dressing; I would recommend a simple vinaigrette or mix a bit of lemon juice with olive oil, and season with the salt and pepper.
Salad makes 3 – 4 servings, and can be served warm or cold.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- ¼ cup almonds, sprouted over 3 – 4 days, then toasted or roasted overnight in low oven
- 1 cup raw quinoa, sprouted over 1 – 2 days
- 1 clove garlic (diced)
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper (red or green)
- ½ cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup steamed mushrooms, diced
- ¼ cup seeded cucumber, diced
- Optional: simple vinaigrette or shake together a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil, and season with unrefined sea salt and pepper
- Equipment
- 2 sprouting jars
- baking sheet
- medium saucepan
- medium bowl
Method:
- Sprout quinoa and whole almonds, or soak chopped almonds overnight; rinse well and let them dry.
- Toast chopped or whole almonds on baking sheet at 300°F for 15 minutes; set aside. OR: soak your nuts, then roast them at lowest oven setting for 24 hours; you can use whole or chopped nuts for soaking.
- Wash and prep veggies into a bowl; set aside.
- Bring quinoa and 1 ½ cups cold water to a boil in medium pot. Cover with tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to simmer and rest until water is fully absorbed – about 15 minutes if unsprouted or 2 minutes if sprouted (see Quinoa (About)). Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes with lid on.
- Remove lid, fluff gently with fork. Add veggie and nut mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste, or drizzle a simple dressing over.
References:
- Better Nutrition, May 2010 issue (1); the original recipe is by Cynthia Pasquella, CCN. See betternutrition.com/oz-garcia-christine-avanti-favorite-recipes and scroll toward bottom for recipe.
- Cynthia’s website: cynthiapasquella.com
