Protein Powerhouse

   There's nothing worse than wanting a salty snack and all you have in the fridge is fruit. But being healthy doesn't mean you have to go hungry, or even without! It's all about being mindful of what we put in our bodies and occasionally buying that bag of Cape Cod potato chips (and praying to God someone else will help you eat them so you don't devour the whole bag by yourself in one sitting. I mean...not that I've done that.....)

   Whether sweet or salty is your thing, there is always a healthy alternative to your craving if you think outside of the ice cream carton! So you want some chocolate? Awesome. Cut up those strawberries and drizzle some chocolate on top! You get a serving of fruit and a little bit o' sweet on the side!

   So whenever I need my salty fix, I always turn to protein. And this Quinoa dish is a heavy hitter. Not only is Quinoa (read about the benefits here) packed with fiber and protein, it's a great alternative to heavy whole grain pastas. Add in a little feta, dried cranberries, toasted almonds and you've got a protein powerhouse.



Recipe:

1/2 cup dry Inca Red Quinoa (I prefer the Heirloom Variety over regular Quinoa)
1 cup water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup whole almonds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 cup Baby Arugula (Olivia's Organics)
fresh, chopped cilantro to taste

Boil 1/2 cup Quinoa with 1 cup water until water absorbs and white germ ring separates from grain. Add in dried cranberries, feta, almonds and drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Top with cilantro if desired. Place over a bed of baby arugula.

You can also try these variations:

Lemon juice
Raisins
Sun dried tomatoes
Scallions
Chives
Vegetable Broth
Goat Cheese
Pistachios