Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Apples & Red Grapes, a totally delicious salad made with superfood ingredients.
Serves 6
Salad Ingredients:
- 3 cups (750 mL) cooked quinoa (1 cup of uncooked)
- 2 diced Gala or Fuji apples (leave skin on)
- 2 cups (500 mL) red seedless grapes, halved
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) of black beans, no salt added, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (125 mL) fresh chopped cilantro
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 mL) orange juice
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) freshly grated lemon peel (zest)
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp (10 mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cumin
- 2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh ginger root
- 3 green onions, diced (including the green part)
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried red pepper flakes (optional)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 ¾ cup/435 mL): 342 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 56 g carbohydrates, 16 g sugars, 9.5 g fibre, 11 g protein, 166 mg sodium
Quinoa (supergrain)
- Easy to prepare, high nutrient value (fibre, iron, magnesium), more complete source of protein than other grains (8 g/cup), gluten-free
- high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory
Grapes
- Contains plant compound called resveratrol, linked to longevity and based on research from Oregon State University, is a very potent immune booster (looked at 446 compounds and resveratrol found in red grapes stood out from the crowd, along with a compound found in blueberries)
- Rich in flavonoids - antioxidants, anti-inflammatory (heart health, anti-cancer)
Apples
- An apple a day really does keep the doctor away… more and more research says that eating just one apple daily provides incredible protection for your health (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, asthma, allergies, protect the aging brain, cancer - breast, colon, lung)
- The skin is loaded with antioxidants (five times more than flesh), Granny Smith and Red Delicious highest
- Apples fill you up and satisfy hunger better than most other foods. Penn State University - when healthy adults consumed one medium-sized apple approximately 15 minutes before a meal, their caloric intake at that meal decreased by an average of 15%
- Florida State University - Regular apple eaters weigh less and have less belly fat
- Ohio State University - healthy middle-aged adults who consumed one apple daily for four weeks significantly lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol. Researchers described the study results as “tremendous”, stating that daily apple consumption was more effective than other antioxidants they have studied, including those found in turmeric and green tea.
- University of Oxford: an apple a day is just as effective as taking a statin (drug) for everyone over 50
- Research from the University of Denmark says apples are very good for gut health. They act as prebiotics and promote the growth of “good” or friendly bacteria along your digestive tract. A healthy gut plays a powerful role in overall health and the prevention of disease.
Black Beans
- Beans have been called the best human plant food there is, potent tools in the treatment and prevention of chronic disease and among the most nutritious foods on the planet
- The “Nutrient Rich Foods Index”, developed by the University of Washington, ranks food based on nutrient content. Not surprisingly, beans are one of the highest scoring foods you can eat. They are truly nutritional powerhouses, rich in valuable nutrients like protein, B vitamins, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and more.
- We are a fibre deficient generation. Most of us are getting only about 15 grams daily when we should be getting 25 grams or more. Black beans contain a whopping 15 grams of fibre in just one cup. That's outstanding!!! One of the best reasons to get more fibre is to feed the good or “friendly” bacteria that live along your G.I. tract (these good bacteria are called heroes for health - there is almost nothing they can't do)
- Coloured beans, like black beans or red kidney beans contain two to three times more antioxidants than white beans.
- Carbohydrates are not the villain! Not if they are good carbs! The carbs in beans are about as good as they get. They are released slowly into the bloodstream and provide a long, sustained source of energy. When you add beans to the diets of those who suffer from diabetes, the ability to control blood sugar is greatly improved. Slowly digested carbs are also linked to significantly lower levels of inflammation in the body.
- Based on the National Nutrition and Health Examination Survey, people who eat beans four times per week, weigh on average about seven pounds (3.2 kg) less than people who don't eat beans. Regular bean eaters also have less belly fat, the type of fat that is most dangerous to your health. What makes beans so good for your waistline? In addition to helping you feel full longer because of the protein, fibre and slow-release carbohydrates they contain, they also appear to impact certain hormones, as well as your metabolism, so that you burn calories more efficiently.
- In the Food Habits Later in Life Study, involving people over the age of 70 in Japan, Sweden, Greece, and Australia, beans were the only food consistently and significantly linked to survival across all populations. It's not surprising when you consider that beans are disease fighting champions, linked to lower risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Herbs & Spices
- Triple the medicinal value of your meal by choosing recipe with lots of herbs and spices.
- Since ancient times they've been used to treat and prevent almost every disease you can name, including heart disease, cancer and dementia. Strong health protection - antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. Calorie free and replace sodium.
Extra virgin olive oil
- Chronic inflammation in the body is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. The phenols in extra virgin olive oil have potent anti-inflammatory action. In research from the University of Cordoba in Spain, consuming a diet rich in phenol-rich olive oil changed the way 98 different genes functioned in the body. That's amazing!!! Olive oil was able to switch or turn off some of the genes that promote inflammation.
- Buy only “extra virgin” olive oil. It is much higher in health-protective antioxidants. The fresher the olive oil, the better. Look for brands that tell you the date it was packaged. Based on a study from Italy, the potency of antioxidants can decline as much as 40% after six months of sitting on the shelf. Olive oil is sensitive to heat and light, so store it in a dark cupboard away from heat.
Chocolate and Cocoa
- In the early 1990's Harvard researchers began studying the Kuna Indians who live on small, remote islands just off the coast of Panama. This population has among the lowest rates of heart disease and stroke in the world. Cancer and type 2 diabetes are also uncommon. Most striking is the fact that their blood pressure does not increase with age, as is seen in most parts of the world. Those over the age of 60 have blood pressure that is as low as people in their 20's or 30's. How is this possible? The Kuna Indians drink about 4 to 5 cups of flavanol-rich cocoa each and every day. Flavanols are the plant compounds in cocoa and dark chocolate linked to good health. What happens when these people move to the mainland and stop drinking cocoa? They see dramatic increases in their blood pressure and experience a much higher risk of disease - as much as 15 times higher. Cocoa appears to be an all-star protector of health.
- Cocoa beans, from which cocoa and chocolate are made, are loaded (and I do mean loaded!!!) with these health-protective, plant compounds called flavanols. The greatest claim to fame of these flavanols is their ability to stimulate the release of nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to relax and widen and improves blood flow to your heart, brain, muscles and all your body parts. These compounds also reduce inflammation, decrease the stickiness of your blood (they have an aspirin-like effect) and act as potent antioxidants. They put cell-damaging free radicals out of business that can lead to diseases such as cancer or dementia.
My new book:
- Broccoli, Love & Dark Chocolate (Because food, love and life should be delicious!)
- Bite-size, science-based nutrition advice on superfoods, dietary villains and more
- Totally delicious recipes made with superfood ingredients
- Plus, you get a life lessons with every recipe (lessons about love, happiness, gratitude, forgiveness and more)
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