Meat Free Monday: Quinoa

by Jenni in

The Inca's referred to quinoa as "the Mother grain". ​It is high in amino acids, oxalates, folates, minerals like magnesium, phosphate, and manganese. The grain is also gluten free and  can be a healthier substitute for rice or cous cous.  No wonder this little power house of a grain has become so popular among health-minded people. 

Although quinoa is usually listed as a grain, it is really a seed. The quinoa seed goes through the same process as most grains, but comes out with more protein. Since it works like a grain but is not one, quinoa is great for people with wheat allergies!  ​

Some of my favorite, simple ways to use quinoa is in a power-house salad or as a rice substitute... Paella with quinoa is amazing! Here are a few other ways to use quinoa that are health and ​taste incredible.

Quinoa Pancakes

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Yes, there is a way to make those delicious tasting and terrible for you pancakes healthy[ish]! This recipe comes from one of my favorite all over crafty, cooking divas, Martha Stewart. The recipe is pretty healthy with a small amount of butter, whole wheat flour, and the quinoa. To make it a little bit better, and a touch more meat free, substitute the low-fat milk for almond milk. When it comes to baking, almond milk works the same as anything else but is a whole lot better for you!

To make this even more homey and fantastic, try making your own syrup! Maple syrup is pretty simple and only takes about 5 minutes, prep and all. Water, sugar, and maple extract are all you need... No high fructose corn syrup or preservatives here! ​

There are some other great quinoa pancake recipes out on the internets as well. The Ambitious Kitchen has a great quinoa pancake recipe that also uses greek yogurt, whole wheat, and bananas. Yum! ​

Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa salads are so simple to make. All you need is a little cooked quinoa, some veggies of choice, and some leafy greens. My favorite alteration in a quinoa salad is with quinoa, and some slightly cooked veggies. ​It is delicious!

Oprah.com has an amazing, and intricate, quinoa salad recipe with cranberries, apricots, and almonds! The salad includes a yummy dressing recipe as well. There is also a great ​quinoa salad recipe at Vegetarian Times. This one has pine nuts, peeled cucumbers, lemon zest, and parsley. So simple, yummy, and refreshing!

For a super simple option, just sprinkle some quinoa over a pre-made salad and add your dressing. Some bagged salads come with cooked quinoa already mixed in with the toppings. ​Check your grocer's salad section and look for anything that uses the word "power" there is a pretty good chance that salad come pre-quinoaed.

​Quinoa Veggie Burger

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Veggie burgers are a great way to get some extra protein and change up that American classic. Vegetarian Times has two great veggie burger recipes that both use quinoa. When it comes to veggie burgers, quinoa will work just like rice (and sometimes better) at holding the patty together. Vegetarian Times also has a great tip for grilling veggie burgers- puree in some overcooked pasta and it works like the glue. Genius! 

Spring is just a few days away, I cannot wait to commandeer someone's grill for these yummy guys!  ​The two recipes that I recommend most are the Black Bean- Quinoa Burgers and the Mediterranean Veggie Burgers. 


Clothing for a Cause

by Jenni in

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There is a clothing company that I have become, well, completely obsessed with. Sevenly is a fantastic line of super cute clothing that gives back. Every week they choose a new organization to support and, for that week, sell limited addition shirts. This week, $7 of each shirt sale goes towards helping families who wish to adopt children from other countries. I simply love these campaigns and being able to learn about organizations that I would not have known about otherwise.

Sevenly's goal is to hep people donate and connect with organizations. The weekly campaigns are a great way to learn and get involved with different organizations that help the world. So far, they have helped rise over one million dollars in the two years they have been around! For a start-up non-profit, that is some incredible success!

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Full Body Tone in 20 Minutes

by Jenni in

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This full body tone works the arms, torso, legs, and back with plyometrics, yoga, resistance, and some of the more traditional. To get a full workout from this, along with some great stretching action, complete each exercise slowly and focus more on getting the right form than getting a certain number of reps done. The first circuit focuses more on plyometrics, while the second circuit is more about balance. This will give a full body tone and work some of those harder to reach muscles as well! 

​​Begin with a two minute warm-up, then complete each exercise for two minutes. Rest for one minute between circuits and complete two circuits, total.

Warm-Up

Start with 30 seconds of jumping jacks, then 30 seconds of kick-backs. Complete this twice. ​

Circuit One

Fly- Backs

This will work the back, upper arms, and legs like madness! Start with feet hip width apart and legs bent at a 45 degree angle with resistance band under the feet and held in each hand. Bend ​body forward with a straight back and slowly lift arms outward until they are level to the ground. Hold, then lower arms and bring torso back up. Continue for two minutes, making sure that legs stay bent the entire time. Feel that burn!

Hand Touches

The will work the abs, shoulders, back and arms. Start in push-up position with feet hip width apart and hands under shoulders. Bring the left hand on top of the right, then back to starting. Alternate between the left and right hand for two minutes. Be sure not to move the body while the hand is lifted, this extra balancing will help tone! ​

Bicycle Crunches

Oh boy do these work all of your abs! Start in sit-up position with legs lifted off the ground and knees at a 90 degree angle. Begin by straightening the left leg and bringing the left elbow to the right knee. Slowly alternate between sides. Be sure to keep eyes on the ceiling, strain off the neck, and shoulder blades off the floor. Continue for two minutes! ​

Shoulder Press Leg Raise

This will work your arms, legs, and back quite a lot. There are two variations to this exercise. If you are feeling more advanced, get into push-up position with your feet resting on a chair. Lift the right leg up and begin doing push-ups. Continue doing push-ups for one minute with the leg raised, then alternate to the other side. ​

For the more intermediate, lift leg off the chair, and hold this position for one minute before alternating to the other leg. If you would like, you can do two sets of 15 seconds of holding and 15 seconds of push-ups per side. ​

Circuit Two

Chair Pose

This will work the arms, upper thighs, and torso. Keep feet hip width apart and bend legs as far as possible while keeping back straight up, This should look similar to sitting in a chair.

Arms should be overhead and eyes gazing up. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then rotate to the right for 30 seconds, the left for 30 seconds, and back to chair for 30 seconds. ​

Warrior Flow

This will work all those small muscles of your upper thighs along with your arms. Start in Warrior Two position  on the left side with hips even and body straight. Be sure not to bring the left knee beyond the  foot. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then rotate to warrior one and pop up into warrior three for 30 seconds. Alternate to the right side for the next minute.

Three Way Plank

Get into lowered plank position with forearms resting on the ground. Hold this position for 20 seconds, then rotate so your left arm is in the air and your right arm is supporting the body. Hold this position for 20 seconds, then rotate to the left side. Complete two sets of these rotations, holding each for 20 seconds. ​

Extended Leg Bridge Pose

This one will work your legs, bum and back! Lay on the floor with your legs bent and feet on the ground. Raise your body up so your shoulders and feet are the only parts touching and tuck your shoulder blades in. For the more advanced version, raise your right leg straight up and ​begin lowering down so you are about one inch off the ground, then rising back up. Continue this for one minute, then switch to the left leg.

For the intermediate approach, raise the leg like you would in advanced, but do not dip down. Hold the leg straight up while keeping the hips even for one minute. Then, do the same with the left leg. ​