Quinoa (keen-wa) Summer Salad

Admittedly, I got this first blog recipe from wholeliving.com (see link below). This website, which stresses the importance of foodie wellness, green-ness, fitness, and community, has been what's gotten me so excited recently about what food can do for your mind, body, soul, and earth. Anyways, onto the food!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon chili powder
2 medium minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt
1 2/3 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained (makes about 4 Cups cooked)
1 can of corn kernels of corn from 2 ears of corn
1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional for you cilantro haters)
2 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut in thin wedges
1 ripe avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
1 lime, cut in wedges
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Boil 3 cups of water with a punch of sea salt. Stir in quinoa. Return to boil then cover an dlet simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Let cool by spreading on a baking sheet.

2. In a bowl mix corn, red pepper, cucumber, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro

3. In a separate bowl whisk together pinch of sea salt, chili powder, minced garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil

3. Once the quinoa has cooled combine veggies, sauce, and quinoa in a large bowl and mix well.

4. Lay the quinoa on a bed of lettuce if you'd like and add tomato slices, avocado slices, and pumpkin seeds to the top of a heaping mount of healthy deliciousness!

SERVES 4

So what's in it for you?

KEEN-WA is a protein powerhouse as it has a surprisingly high protein profile. In fact, this dish will make enough for 4 people to have 24 grams of protein each from the quinoa. Quinoa is a fabulous source of protein for everyone but particularly for vegetarians and people with wheat, gluten and related allergies as well as seniors and diabetics. Seniors (and juniors alike) benefit from the high level iron in quinoa, which raises hematocrit in turn delivers more oxygen to the brain preventing senility (and all-age brain farts). Additionally, Quinoa is an alkaline food. While we usually eat too much and pop some TUMS to combat acid reflux, quinoa helps to restore a natural pH balance. This is especially helpful this dish because of the acidic lemon juice.

Why pumpkin seeds? It's not October! Glad you ask. Pumpkin seeds, A.K.A pepitas, are packed with minerals such as manganese (promotes optimum thyroid function, healthy nerves, cells, bones, and maintains healthy blood sugar levels), magnesium (healthy blood circulation and nerve and muscle relaxation) and phosphorus (protein synthesis and cell repair!).

Earth friendly tips:

So as always try to choose organic veggies that are local or at least from your coast! While buying the ingredients I was sadly forced into buying scallions from California at Whole Foods--that's a 6 hours flight away from Boston! ew, yucky stinky diesel.

For this recipe I used triple-labeled Bolivian Pearl Quinoa A.K.A the "soul food of the Andes" from Whole Foods. By triple-labeled I mean this brand is USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified by Alter Eco Fair Trade, and Objective Carbon Zero certified. By choosing this brand you support a better life for farming families (1,500 farmers benefit from the Alter Eco mission and 73% increase in revenue for farmers for that extra $1). This Objective Carbon Zero certified quinoa supports the Amazon Reforestation in Peru.

What I'll try next time?

I love a summer crunch but it might have been good to try this with roasted red peppers. Also, I enjoy corn but I feel that julienned zucchini and summer squash would have been a fun option for color and flavor. I would add more scallions try 4.

Links
Read more at Wholeliving.com: Quinoa and Corn Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

www.altereco.com

www.fairtradecertified.org