Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Now that you have learned all about quinoa, try out this easy and delicious recipe that uses quinoa.  Quinoa adds such a great texture and flavor to these peppers.  This dish will leave you feeling feel and is super healthy for you! And did you know that bell peppers, regardless of their color, provide vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid. Choosing vitamin C-rich foods keeps gums and blood vessels healthy.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

4 large red, green or yellow bell peppers

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 package (10 oz) fresh spinach, tough stems removed, torn into large pieces

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup dried currants or raisins

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 

 

Heat oven to 375.

 

In a small skillet, toast almonds over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.  Put on a plate and allow to cool.

 

In a 2-quart sauce pan heat water and salt to boiling.  Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for 2 minutes.  Stir quinoa into boiling water.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa tender.  Uncover and set aside.  

 

Fill 5-quart Dutch oven half full with water; heat to boiling.  Cut off and reserve tops of peppers.  Remove seeds and ribs.  Add peppers and tops to boiling water, cook 5 minutes.  Drain.

 

In same saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir 6 minutes or until onions are browned.  Stir in garlic.  Remove 2 tablespoons of onion mixture; set aside.

 

Add spinach to saucepan, cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes until it is wilted and any water evaporates.  Remove saucepan from heat.  Stir feta, almonds, currants and quinoa into spinach mixture.  Arrange peppers in shallow baking dish.  Spoon stuffing peppers, mounding to fill; replace tops.  Cover loosely with foil.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until peppers are tender.  

 

Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, stir together tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, Italian season and the reserved 2 tablespoons onion mixture.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until thickened.  Spoon sauce onto plates; top with peppers.   

 

Source: Live Better America 

7 Things to Know About Quinoa

You probably have seen quinoa just about everywhere.  Its the rage right now and people are using it in everything from burgers to cookies.  Its incredibly good for you, very versatile and really easy to use. Try it out, I think you will love it!

1. What's in a name. Pronounced KEEN-wah, it's a slightly chewy, mildly flavored seed derived from a plant in the chard and spinach family. For all practical purposes, however, it’s treated like a grain.


2. Red or white? Both red and white varieties of quinoa can be used interchangeably in recipes. The red grain tends to have an earthier flavor and is harder to find.


3. Packed with protein. Like other whole grains, quinoa is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. It’s also packed with protein, making it a popular vegan and vegetarian alternative to meat.


4. 15-min prep. Another part of quinoa’s growing popularity is its quick and easy cooking time—about 15 minutes from start to finish. The simplest preparation is one part quinoa to two parts water. Bring to a boil, simmer until light and fluffy and then season as desired.


5. Super substitute. Try quinoa as a substitute for rice, barley, bulgur or couscous in salads and side dishes. You may need to adjust the quantity of dressing or sauce because quinoa’s delicate and fluffy texture becomes soggy in too much liquid.


6. Weekly stock-up. Quinoa is delicious hot or cold. Make up a big batch of quinoa and store in the fridge for meals throughout the week.


7. Breakfast, lunch or dinner! For breakfast, try quinoa as a hot cereal with fruit and nuts (recipe below). For a hearty, healthy lunch, just add chopped veggies and your favorite vinaigrette. For dinner, toss quinoa with roasted root vegetables and pair with meat or fish.

Source: Live Better Americ

Best Brain Boosting Foods

There are a number of foods that taste delicious but also have the added benefit of boosting your brain power!  Try incorporating some of these things into your diet.

• Whole Grains – The brain cannot properly function without energy and the ability to focus and concentrate is derived from blood glucose feeding the brain. Whole grains that offer a low GI are extremely beneficial, as they offer slow releasing glucose, which helps keep levels even throughout the day. Wheat bran, brown cereals, brown pasta and grainy breads are rich sources of whole grains.
• Oily Fish – Offering valuable essential fatty acids, fish is an excellent source of Omega-3, EPA and DHA. For people that don’t care for fish, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed oil, soya bean oil, soya beans and walnut oil also offer excellent benefits. The best types of fish include trout, salmon, mackerel, pilchards, sardines and kippers. Low DHA levels are directly linked to a high risk of developing memory loss and Alzheimer’s.
• Blueberries – High in antioxidants, this deliciously tart berry helps improve short-term memory loss.
• Tomatoes – Lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, is thought to help prevent free radical damage to cells, especially those associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
• B-Vitamins – Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid help reduce homocysteine blood levels, as high levels are associated with Alzheimer’s, stroke and cognitive impairment.
• Blackcurrants – With high levels of Vitamin C, blackcurrant can help increase mental agility.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Just a handful a day delivers a high dose of zinc, helping increase thinking skills and enhancing memory.
• Broccoli – High in Vitamin K, broccoli can help improve brainpower and cognitive functioning.
• Sage – Helping improve memory, sage is an essential oil and herb that is not only delicious, but also healthy.
• Nuts – High in Vitamin E, this tasty treat also prevents cognitive decline. Other sources of Vitamin E include asparagus, green vegetables, seeds, brown rice, eggs and whole grains.

Source: Zupas

Lemon Potatoes

I am an Idaho girl and I LOVE my potatoes, in just about any shape or form!  Another thing that I love is a good side dish.  It's great to have a good main dish but if you don't have a great side to go with it, I just feel like something is really missing.  Try this super simple and really delicious side dish, it is great with anything, steak, chicken, fish, yum!

Lemon Potatoes

In a medium saucepan cover 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 3/4 inch pieces with 2 inches salted water.  Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.  Drain potatoes and set them in strainer over pot to drain.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high.  Add one-third the potatoes to pan and shake pan to arrange potatoes in one layer.  Cook potatoes without stirring until crisp and golden on one side, then gently turn and cook until golden on all sides about 6 to 8 minutes total.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.  Repeat twice with remaining potatoes, adding 2 tablespoons oil to each batch.

Add 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced to skillet.  Cook until slices are golden on both sides, about 2 minutes.  To serve, season potatoes and lemon slices with coarse salt and ground pepper and squeeze fresh juice of remaining 1/2 lemon over top.

Serves 4

A Healthy You for 2013!

I can't believe it is 2013 can you?  I love the beginning of a new year, its a good time to assess how the previous year was and make some changes to make it even better.  Why not have 2013 be the year that you get back in the gym, start eating healthier and feel fabulous?  There are a lot of little things that you can do that will help you to live a healthier life and to feel great!  Start incorporating one or two of them at a time into your lifestyle and once those become habit then add in some others.  Here's to a healthy you!

45 Tips To Live a Healthier Lifestyle

1. Drink More Water
2. Get Enough Sleep
3. Meditate
4. Exercise
5. Pick Exercises You Enjoy
6. Work Out Different Parts of Your Body
7. Eat More Fruits
8. Eat More Vegetables
9. Pick Bright Colored Foods
10. Cut Down on Processed Food
11. Love Yourself
12. Barefoot Walking/Running
13. Purge Negative People From Your Life
14.  Purge Negativity From Yourself
15. Journal Out Unhappy Thoughts
16. Avoid Trigger Foods
17. Breathe Deeply
18. Address Emotional Eating Issues
19. Eat Small Meals
20. Stop Eating When You Feel Full
21. Go For Brown Carbs vs. White Carbs
22. Live A Life With Purpose
23. Say No to Oily Food
24. Cut Out Sugary Foods
25. Go Organic
26. Improve Your Posture
27. Cut Out Soda and Caffeine
28. Don't Drink Alcohol
29. Prepare Your Meals
30. Learn to Say No
31. Bring A Water Bottle When You Go Out
32. Dine at Salad Bars More Often
33. Go For Low Calorie Low Fat Alternatives
34. Stop Smoking 
35. Avoid Passive Smoking
36. Have Healthy Snacks
37. Drink Fruit/Veg Smoothies
38. Juicing
39. Go On a Vegetarian Diet
40. Go On a Vegan Diet
41. Become a Raw Vegan
42. Get Out More
43. Exercise Good Dental Hygiene
44. Join Classes
45. Hang Out With Healthy People

Source: Personalexcellence.co