MIA

Well I definitely have been Missing In Action lately, I will do better.  So what's been new and exciting you ask? Not a whole lot new but exciting yes! I am heading to Vegas next month for the first! I am going to Beachbody's Coach Summit and it's going to be fantastic! They always announce new products, one of them is PiYo! It is a low impact fusion of Pilate's and Yoga which I am totally going to do! At Easter I had the flu then threw out my back for the first time (boy did I feel like I was getting old then) so not only have I been MIA from blogging but I have been MIA from my workouts :( But all that is changing as I realize with only 30 Days until I leave it's time for another round of the 21 Day Fix! I'm probably going to have to follow the modified version but I am still excited to see the results!

So what else is new... Well I've fallen in love. With a Super duper food lol. Of course I'm talking about Quinoa! Pronounced "keen-wah" it's super tiny and seriously good for you! Although referred to as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed from a vegetable related to swiss chard, spinach and beets. It is packed with protein in fact its protein is similar to milk and has more protein compared to rice, millet or wheat. Which if you don't know it by know by eating protein it helps you stay fuller longer! One of the best benefits to eating quinoa is that It's only has 172 calories per ¼ cup dry quinoa! Since it is not related to wheat or grain, it's gluten-free! Tons of people are discovering that by reducing eating gluten grains or at least wheat products how they feel better and lose weight. I honestly have been thinking of trying to go gluten free for a couple weeks to see if I notice a difference. Quinoa is also a complex carbohydrate with low glycemic index. This is again good for weight management. Really I fail to find a reason to break up with this Superstar!

Tex Mex Quinoa Bowl

It is so versatile you can make for for breakfast instead of oatmeal!  I think my fave way to use it is putting it in salad. I recently went out to lunch and they served up the most amazing kale and quinoa salad, I can't wait to try and make it myself! It was Kale, quinoa, yellow & orange peppers, slivered almonds, crasins, feta cheese and dressed with balsamic Mmm mm! I also used it as a base to make a Mexican Bowl.  I cooked up ground turkey with some onions season with Tex Mex spice threw is black beans and corn topped with shredded cheddar cheese, volia! I have even tried making quinoa patties!

Kinda Qunioa Patty 

They didn't really turn out but they were still tasty :-) Seriously there is nothing you can't make with Quinoa including cookies! Here's a recipe to try:

Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbsp applesauce
1/4 cup raw honey or agave
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup almond flour
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa)
1/4 to 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, applesauce, honey, vanilla and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. Spoon rounded tablespoons of cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Place in the freezer to set, about 20 minutes. Enjoy!