Easy Cranberry Almond Quinoa Recipe
If you know quinoa very well, you definitely know how easy it is to make dishes with it. Quinoa is a nutritious type of grain that can be used in different dishes and meals. This is considered to be the healthiest grain. It is also called super grain because it can give you tons of benefits for your body and health. You can use quinoa either for meals during breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is a complete food that can be taken any time you want. You can easily learn how to cook quinoa. Here is an easy cranberry almond quinoa recipe for you to try.
Cranberry Almond Quinoa
For this healthy dish, you will need: ½ cup quinoa, ½ cube of chicken stock, cinnamon powder, salt, ¼ cup roasted almonds flaked, ¼ cup dried cranberries and 1 cup of boiled water.
Now that you have all the ingredients ready, you can start by soaking the quinoa in cold water for about two hours. It should be rinsed thoroughly though before soaking to make sure that it will not taste bitter once it is cooked. In a pan, cook the quinoa until dry, then add in the almonds and dried cranberries. Pour in the boiled water, chicken stock and cinnamon powder. Stir then add salt. Cover the pot and wait until it simmer. Mix it once in a while. Remove from heat but let the pot still be covered for five more minutes. Transfer to a plate and serve while hot. You can have this dish with fish or chicken.
If you want to have this dish anytime you want, you can double the quantity of all ingredients. Serve the half of the cooked dish and keep the other half in the refrigerator. Heat the dish in the microwave every time you feel like eating quinoa.
Brands Of Protein Shakes – Isopure Mass, Muscle Milk, Cyto Sports
If you are trying to gain weight by eating specific foods such as milk and eggs, the last few pounds can always be something of a challenge. If that sounds like your situation, it may be time to consider trying one of the protein shake brands that are widely available, to increase your size. There are plenty of choices available in your local sports or health food store, but some better known and reputable brands include Cyto Sports, Muscle Milk and Isopure Mass.
Always read the list of ingredients carefully, as you want to be sure that you are taking the right ingredients for your particular fitness goal and that the product actually contains the proteins that you need. Manufacturers of various brands of protein shakes are fond of adding all sorts of extra ingredients to their product, such as creatine and calcium. Of course, you also want to buy a product that tastes good, is reasonably priced and contains few carbohydrates. It is also a good idea to read some reviews from other users, to get an unbiased view.
One of the best products is Isopure Mass, which contains a near perfect combination of ingredients, including 53 grams of protein in the form of ion whey. It has 600 calories in each serving and it will fill you up, but not leave you with that rather unpleasant bloated feeling. And as an added bonus, it actually tastes good and whether you choose the chocolate or vanilla flavor, you won’t mind taking it after even the most strenuous of workouts.
If you are looking for a healthy and safe alternative to gaining weight, consider Isopure Mass or one of the other recommended protein supplement products. You may be surprised at the results after just a few weeks of giving your muscles what they really crave.
Making Black Bean Hummus – A Healthy Snack!
Black bean hummus is not only a great tasting dip, but also is very healthy. If you are searching for ways to eat healthy without the urge to hurl, this is a great start. These beans are a great source of protein as well as fiber, which both help to curb cravings by helping you to feel full longer.
With black bean hummus you can choose to use only black beans or a combination of black beans and garbanzo beans. The simplest black bean hummus recipe combines 15 oz garbanzo beans, 15 oz black beans, 3 cloves of garlic, 4 tbsp cilantro and juice of one lemon. Place all of these in your food processor and blend them until you receive your desired texture. Once you have achieved the texture you want, you can add other ingredients such as parsley, salt, hot sauce, cumin or pepper. Cilantro is also nice added to black bean hummus.
After preparing your hummus you can use it right away and store any unused portion in the refrigerator. It will stay in good condition for a couple days. It can be eaten with raw vegetables such as zucchini, celery and carrots. You can also spread the hummus on whole wheat pita toast. You can spray a small amount of olive oil on the bread and cut it into a desired size, and bake for approximately 12 minutes. Allow this to cool and it will harden and you can eat it with hummus like you would eat chips.
Another great use for black bean hummus is as a spread for sandwiches or quesadillas. It is a great low fat alternative to mayonnaise or sour cream that will really help you keep your diet in check. If you would like to make the hummus creamier for spreading without adding excess fat, try mixing in a little non-fat Greek yogurt.