Moon Wellness and Superfoods

Hi, it’s Keiko.

Moon wellness is a lifestyle which incorporates the energy and rhythm of the Moon to help you live a healthy life full of good fortune, both physically and mentally.

It goes without saying that our bodies require a well-balanced diet and moderate exercise, and one of the most important things we need to be aware about is food.

In today’s Moon Wellness Practical Course, I would like to introduce you to superfoods, which are really easy to introduce into our diets, and help promote health and boost the immune system.

What are Superfoods?

Superfoods are mainly plant-derived foods that contain higher quantities of essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and healthier ingredients than regular foods.

In today’s article, I want to continue to focus the spotlight on quinoa. If you haven’t already read my first article about the nutrition and benefits of quinoa and how to wash it prior to preparation, you can find the article here.

THE REASON QUINOA IS GOOD FOR DIETING

There is a reason why celebrities around the world make use of quinoa to lose weight. Quinoa has a glycemic index (GI) of 34 compared to white rice, which has a GI of 84. Glycemic Index is a scale which quantifies the rate of increase in blood sugar after a carbohydrate has been consumed, and since quinoa’s value is much lower than white rice, it is less likely to lead to obesity. Furthermore, quinoa is rich in fiber, which encourages peristaltic movement in the intestine, and helps to eliminate waste products from the body.

Replacing white rice with quinoa is said to be a great way to lose weight and stay healthy.

THE REASON YOU SHOULD THOROUGHLY WASH QUINOA

Quinoa grains are coated with a bitter natural compound called saponin. There are different types of saponin, but it is said that the type of saponin present in quinoa is slightly toxic. Some quinoa is sold with the saponin already removed, but if not, thoroughly washing the quinoa grains is the best way to get rid of the saponin from the outer layer of the grain.

Because the grains are tiny, it’s best to use a fine-grained strainer, and wash the quinoa as you would wash white rice, scrubbing the quinoa in water three times, and rinsing after each wash. When the murky water becomes almost clear, the quinoa is washed and ready to use.

THE REASON ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS IN QUINOA ARE GOOD FOR YOU

Of the 20 amino acids that make up protein, 9 of them are called “essential amino acids.” Because humans are unable to make these essential amino acids in our bodies, the only way to incorporate them is to consume them via the foods we eat. Quinoa actually contains a good balance of these essential amino acids, which makes it an excellent food to compensate for protein deficiency.

TWO SIMPLE MIX AND COOK QUINOA RECIPES

Mixed Vegetables with Quinoa and Tofu

Happy points of this recipe

You can use any soft green leafy vegetables such as spinach, swiss chard or baby bok choy, any root vegetables such as carrot or lotus root, and mushrooms such as shimeji or enoki
You can use either soft or medium firm tofu

Ingredients for 2 portions

1/4 of a block of tofu
1 1/2 tbsp of ground white sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp of sugar
1/2 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of cooked quinoa
a mixture of thinly sliced boiled vegetables (ex. spinach, carrot, and shimeji)

Method

Wrap the tofu in paper towel, and place something heavy on top for an hour to get rid of any excess water.
Crumble the tofu into a bowl, add the quinoa and seasonings and mix together to make a dressing.
Thinly slice the vegetables and boil them until they are soft.
Wait until the vegetables naturally cool, or to cool them quickly, blanch them in cold water and then drain thoroughly.
Add the quinoa dressing to the boiled vegetables and mix together.

Quinoa Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Happy points of this recipe

This is similar to cooking white rice with mixed grains. There is no smell or change in the taste of the rice, so you shouldn’t notice much of a difference.
You can put the rice and quinoa directly on a plate and eat it as is, or you can make it into rice balls.
You can fill your onigiri with various different fillings, such as, umeboshi (pickled plums), teriyaki chicken, grilled salmon, or kombu (seaweed).

Boiled White Rice with Quinoa

1 cup of short grain rice (sushi rice)
2 tbsp of dry quinoa
1.5 cups of water

How to prepare rice and quinoa together

Wash the quinoa
Wash the rice
Put the rice, quinoa and water into a rice cooker and cook as normal.
After the rice has finished cooking stir the rice and quinoa and put the lid back on and let it sit for 5 minutes
If you don’t have a rice cooker, boil the rice as you would normally do in a pot on the stove.

How to just boil the quinoa

Wash the quinoa in a fine-grained strainer.
Place the quinoa in a pot with double the amount of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to low flame and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.
When the quinoa is cooked, stir and put the lid back on the pot and let sit for five minutes
You can add a small amount of salt to the quinoa if you prefer.

How to make Quinoa Rice Balls

For one cup of quinoa rice, add 1/2 tsp of salt and mix together.
Place some saran wrap over a rice bowl.
Put a small amount of rice on top of the saran wrap in the bowl.
Add your choice of filling in the center of the rice. (See the happy points of this recipe for some suggested fillings.)
Fill the rest of the bowl with rice.
Pick the saran wrap up and wrap it tightly around the rice while using your hands to form a triangle shape.
Unwrap the rice-ball, and add a strip of nori (dried seaweed).
Place the rice balls on a plate, and place some filling on top to garnish.

White rice is delicious alone, but when you add quinoa to it, you get the added benefits of fiber and essential amino acids. Be sure to give these two delicious recipes a try!

Moon Wellness and Superfoods - Two more easy and delicious quinoa recipes