Super healthy, super-food quinoa salad

by Francine

photo via fresh-fruit-daily.com

You already know tofu is healthy for you in a variety of ways. Now put it in the company of quinoa, kale, avocado, and pomegranate seeds (super foods) and you've created a tasty, easy-to-fix salad that you can make ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator several days! By the way--there are a number of super foods and the lists vary, but you can bet that no one will dispute the benefits of eating the four included in this recipe (kale, quinoa, avocado, and pomegranate seeds).

This recipe was originally posted on Glue and Glitter by Becky Striepe and linked to from care2.com. We added the tofu to the recipe. -fs

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 pkg. tofu
• 2 packed cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 1/4 cup additional olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Cook the quinoa in the water or vegetable or chicken broth. (2 cups liquid to one cup quinoa. Rinse quinoa thoroughly through a sieve, then add to liquid. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.) Once cooked, transfer to the large bowl that you’ll be serving your salad in.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the kale, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Coat the kale well, and set it aside to wilt for at least 10 minutes.
3. When the quinoa has cooled, transfer the kale mixture, pomegranate seeds, avocado, onion, and additional olive oil to the bowl with the quinoa, and toss well. 

Have-a Avo-cado!

by Francine
 

photo via vegkitchen.com

Did you know that avocados are part of the fruit family? And specifically—the berry? Well, they are. And here’s an even more surprising fact--there are nearly 500 varieties of this creamy, delightful food.

According to whatscookinginamerica.com, avocadoes got their name from Spanish explorers who couldn't pronounce the Aztec word for the fruit, know as ahuacatl, "testicle," (because of its shape). The Spanish called it the aguacate, leading to the guacamole we know today.

And now researchers in Mexico are saying that avocado oil could be used to counteract the effects of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Avocado is already well known for its cholesterol-fighting properties but these research scientists are saying it contains antioxidants that protect cells from damage caused by environmental factors like radiation or air pollution. Good stuff, considering how delicious and versatile these wondrous fruits are.

Avocado's anti-inflammatory nutrients fall into five basic categories:

•                phytosterols, including beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol

•                carotenoid antioxidants, including lutein, neoxanthin, neochrome, chrysanthemaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin , beta-carotene and alpha-carotene

•                other (non-carotenoid) antioxidants, including the flavonoids epicatechin and epigallocatechin 3-0-gallate, vitamins C and E, and the minerals manganese, selenium, and zinc

•                omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (approximately 160 milligrams per cup of sliced avocado)

•                polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PSA)s

We know that heart health is improved by intake of oleic acid (the primary fatty acid in avocado) and by intake of omega-3 fatty acids (provided by avocado in the form of alpha-linolenic acid and in the amount of 160 milligrams per cup). Since elevated levels of homocysteine form a key risk factor for heart disease, and since B vitamins are very important for healthy regulation of homocysteine levels, avocado's significant amounts of vitamin B-6 and folic acid provide another channel of heart support.

The anti-cancer properties of avocado are related to its unusual mix of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients. That relationship is to be expected since cancer risk factors almost always include excessive inflammation (related to lack of anti-inflammatory nutrients) and oxidative stress (related to lack of antioxidants). 

Avocadoes are delicious plain, or with a dash of pepper, or just about anything you like. I know someone who likes to put ketchup on them. Maybe some lemon juice or salsa! Just cut one in half and spoon out the deliciously textured fruit. You can also mash and make a variety of mouth-watering guacamoles, or as part of creamy salad dressing (the texture creates the creamy texture of the salad dressing--w/o mayonnaise). Or you can cube or slice and mix into your salads.

Sources:

care2.com http://www.care2.com

http://www.whfoods.com

http://whatscookingamerica.net

avocado.org