Pass The Quinoa!!

Quinoa is an old-world grain that has been around for centuries. My students always love seeing how it's used in dishes. It makes for a great side dish, a morning cereal, a main ingredient in stir frys and a variety of other delights. Plus, you can bake with the flour.

Quinoa contains numerous beneficial nutrients. Nutrients include fiber which aids cardiovascular and digestive health. It provides a natural appetite suppressant, to fill you up and cause you to eat less. Who can't use that?

Other nutrients include:

• Calcium helps maintain bone strength and density.
• Copper, which helps your body absorb iron.
• Zinc, which supports a healthy immune system. Do you take zinc supplements when you feel a cold coming on? Or take a hit when you have a cold to lessen symptoms? If not, you're missing out on a treasured nutrient.
• Iron, to keep your blood healthy and nourished

Quinoa contains rich amounts of potassium, the mineral needed to help regulate heart beats, maintain a healthy blood pressure level, lower anxiety levels, prevent muscle spasms and contractions, protect against stroke – wow. Who knew all this could come out of a grain?

Experiment with quinoa. When cooked, it resembles Saturn. You know, the planet with a ring around it? The texture is pleasant, also.

Go quinoa! Enjoy!

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Quick Grain Cereal

Instead of buying instant commercially-made whole grain cereal, here is an easy and convenient way to make your own heart healthy delight. And...it's cheaper than the store-bought variety.

Buy some oat bran in your bulk food section of your local supermarket or online whole foods store.

Put 1/2 cup oat bran into your cereal bowl.
To add variety, add some dried cranberries, dates, raisins and cinnamon.

Bring 1 cup water to boil in either the microwave or on your stovetop.

Pour a little of the water onto the cereal. Stir and keep adding water until you reach your desired consistency.

You can add milk, if desired.

Viola! There it is. You have your own healthy version of a quick and instant whole grain cereal within two minutes. And, you didn't have to open any paper envelopes or boxes to do it. :)

When traveling, simply put the dried cereal mixture in a ziploc bag or other portable container. Take out your desired portion and add water. This is great for hikes and outdoor outings, also.

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Sharing White Wheat Information

Just found out more information about the white wheat products sold in the marketplace. While doing research into wheat products on the Wheat Foods Council site, it appears that there are numerous types and colors of whole wheat I didn't know about. Interesting....

Red and white are two different color varieties of wheat, distant cousins, if you will. Hard white wheat came into the American marketplace in 1990. White wheat comes in two types- soft or hard. Of the two, soft white wheat has the lower protein content. Compared to red wheat, white wheat has a milder and sweeter taste. White wheat is lighter weight than its counterpart. The taste is sweeter and the grain lighter than red wheat. Both red and white wheat contain the same fiber and nutritional content.

For more information on wheat, visit the website at www.wheatfoods.org. There's a lot of good stuff there. :) Enjoy!!

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