Getting Back on the Wagon and a Basic Quinoa Recipe

Ok, I admit it, I've eaten a lot of "garbage" this week.  Sunday night had a family get together for dinner at a dairy restaurant.  Although we did start with salad and I ate quite a bit, we proceeded to soup (not too bad) and then creamy pastas complete with ice cream for dessert. Monday I took my daughter and some friends to the gourmet ice cream place in Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem and ate a lot of delicious ice cream. Tuesday, I behaved and yesterday (Wednesday) I ate two, albeit small, eclairs at a work function and then came home and ate the last two pieces of Pizza Hut pizza.  My first pizza in three months!  In short, forgive me father for I have sinned.  Have I mentioned that I haven't done any exercise since my Zumba class on Sat. night.  How many "Hail Moseses" must I say? (I'm Jewish).

It is so easy to "fall off the wagon". Although I am not soooo strict with my diet...three day food orgies of this sort are not acceptable.  I can just feel my blood glucose catapulting.

I'm trying to get my husband on the wagon, his LDL is quite high, 171, to be exact.  Not an easy task.  His doctor is giving him 6 months to get the cholesterol down or she is putting him on meds.  I think I will send him to my dietician and get him on track...

Anyway, on to the recipe!

Quinoa Pilaff

Quinoa is a great pseudograin for those watching their carb intake.  Quinoa is actually a seed and not a grain.  It is a complete protein, rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, ribloflavin and lysine. See this link to learn more about quinoa's benefits.

I think that this was my first quinoa recipe or maybe my first quinoa recipe after learning how to cook plain quinoa.  I got it from Suite 101. com and the author of the recipe is Stephanie Gallagher and have minorly adapted the recipe. It's a great warm side dish and also kosher for Passover (without the peas) if you hold that Quinoa is not kitniyot or if you are Sefardi (and then you can have the peas, too). 

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 med onion, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 medium red pepper chopped

2 cups quinoa, rinsed thoroughly through a fine sieve

4 cups water

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a a pot over medium high heat. 

Add onion and cook until soft, 3 minutes.

Add garlic, carrots and red pepper, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add quinoa and water and bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Stir in frozen peas and salt and pepper.

B'Teavon! Enjoy!