"Gemstone" Red Quinoa Breakfast That Will Power You Up Without Weighing You Down!

This breakfast is just delicious! It will give you energy throughout the day, provide with lots of fiber, and pack a powerful punch of protein to fuel those hard-working muscles! I work out 4 days a week, and I can honestly tell you - "you are what you eat"! All calories are not created equal - you can have a 400 calorie fast food sandwich filled with preservatives, sodium, artificial flavorings, and trans fats, OR you can take 15 minutes in the morning and make a meal that will make your body look and feel year younger! Health will always shine through your skin, and give you clarity and vibrance that is easy to spot! 

My eyes are always sparkling because I take care of what I eat, and pay attention to how my body feels. I listen to my body, and that is the reason I don't keep a scale in the house. Winter is the time when our bodies naturally put on a bit of weight to protect ourselves from cold and "provide for the long months of famine", and that is okay! Just be in tune with yourself, and know when it's time to get back on track. I never quit my workouts, even during the Holidays. Don't beat yourself up for skipping your workouts, but don't give yourself a million excuses why not to be active, either. Just think about your body, it's the only one you have in this lifetime, so make sure you treat it with love, and you will see how well it treats you back!

I love an easy, vegan breakfast, and this one is sure to put a spring in your step :) As you know, quinoa is full of protein, and comes in 3 different colors - white, red and black. The white quinoa is fastest to cook, black takes about 5-7 minutes longer, and red is somewhat in the middle of the spectrum. I usually bring the pot to a boil, cover with a lid, and keep for 7 minutes. The red quinoa is tougher than white, so you will need to add 5 minutes to your cooking time to make it softer!

This is the easiest recipe ever - no dicing, slicing or prepping!

INGREDIENTS (I only use organic):

1/2 cup red quinoa

3 large dates

3-6 dried unsulfured apricots

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup nuts

pinch of cinnamon to taste

Add 1/2 cup dry quinoa and 1 cup water to the pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, cover with lid, and keep for about 7 minutes. When you open the lid, you should see that all water has evaporated. Add the warm quinoa to the dried nuts and fruit, and sprinkle with cinnamon! Enjoy, and have a powerful day!

Dasha's 15-Minute Sweet Vegan Quinoa Salad

I LOVE QUINOA

Now that we got that straight, here are some reasons why I love it, and why you will, too! 

• Quinoa is high in protein - 16%-20% high quality vegan protein.
• It's Alkaline-forming, which means quinoa doesn't support the spread of candida, yeast, and cancer in the body.
• Low glycemic index means that the amount of carbs supplied by quinoa are burned slowly and equally to avoid spikes and fat storage in the body.
• Low calories! A cup of cooked quinoa has only about 220 kcal. (yay!)
• Gluten-free for those with celiac. 

Quinoa was considered sacred by the Incas- they called it the “mother seed.” 

This is why I love magical, delicious, light and healthy quinoa! Oh... and did I mention that this dish only took me 15 minutes? Looks like you have no excuses now - give this recipe a try, and you will be delighted!

Ingredients:

1 cup organic quinoa (I used organic white quinoa, but you may also use the red variety)

1 large organic carrot

1/2 medium sweet organic onion

1 cup organic mushrooms (about 10 small)

1 teaspoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup organic unsulfured turkish apricots

1/4 cup organic raisins

cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

I like to be efficient and productive in everything I do, including business, and cooking, so 15 minutes to make a dish sounds just about right!

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, and put in a pot with 2.5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Quinoa is a bit different from rice, and it needs more water to plump up, but still remain flaky, not clumpy and lumpy. 

At the same time that the water with quinoa is taking to boil, heat up a skillet on low heat, and put in the coconut oil, with onions. Sweat the onions a bit, and then add the carrots and mushrooms. Once that mix has become caramelized, add the raisins and apricots. Keep mixing with a wooden spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Once the water with quinoa boils, take off the burner and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, you will see that the water has evaporated, and now you are left with just the ready boiled grain! Transfer to a bowl, mix in the rest of the ingredients from the skillet, and let cool. The finishing touch is the fresh cilantro - add it when the salad has cooled down, to keep it nice and fresh!

Sweet, isn't it? Absolutely delicious, healthy, and quick! Enjoy!