I’m Alyssa, the quinoa-loving girl behind Simply Quinoa. If you’ve ever:
Wanted to explore the world of quinoa, but weren’t sure where to start
Juggled multiple food allergies and struggled to find recipes that your family enjoys
Found yourself in search of answers to maintaining a healthy, balanced diet
Wished for a healthy version of your favorite not-so-healthy meal
Or, felt sluggish and eager to shed a few of those pesky pounds
Well, you’re in the right place, my friend!
Here’s how we’ll simplify our health and energize our lives.
I truly believe that eating healthy doesn't have to becomplicated, quite the opposite, in fact! Together, we’ll discover the wondrous world of healthy cooking through simple, wholesome recipes that never sacrifice on flavor.
Along the way we’ll see that nourishing our bodies with nutrient-rich foods brings about magical changes. We suddenly feel lighter. We feel awakened and energized. We feel alive.
Trust me, I know that embracing this new lifestyle comes with its own set of challenges. There will be ups and there will definitely be downs. But, take heart, because you won’t be doing it alone.
Thousands of others just like you and me have already joined our vibrant community! We’re on this journey together, sharing our stories and experiences, learning from each other, and enjoying great food! I’ll be with you each step of the way.
Together, we’ll reinvigorate our relationship with food, enjoy making nutritious (and delicious) quinoa recipes, and have some real fun in the process! Won't you join us too?
I created Simply Quinoa to share my passion for healthy cooking and my love for quinoa. But it has become so much more. Simply Quinoa is now a thriving community of food-lovers who embrace their food allergies and sensitivities, are not afraid to venture out of their kitchen comfort zones, and love the positive impact these recipes have on their health and bodies.
Every recipe you will make here on Simply Quinoa is superfood-dense. Quinoa is our star ingredient and enhances all our meals in one way or another. I like to say that we’re eating gluten-free, refined sugar-free and primarily dairy-free, always with a little quinoa twist.
My recipes, products and programs are full of actionable wisdom and encouragement to help you create the life you seek and deserve. By immersing yourself in the Simply Quinoa community, you’ll gain access to not only my knowledge and experiences, but to those of all the other amazing food-lovers here.
My Story
I’m Alyssa, a Vermont girl at heart now living in New York City, enjoying a serious love affair with quinoa. I have a Business degree from UVM and am a certified Holistic Nutritionist through the AFPA (American Fitness Professionals Association).
I’ve lived gluten-free for almost four years and can happily say that it changed my life. For years I struggled with chronic stomach pains, digestion issues, low energy and a slew of other discomforts. To me, these were normal; I just assumed everyone else felt the same way. I was used to living uncomfortably, until one day I decided to fight back and make a lifestyle change. I wanted to live the full, satisfying life that was eluding me.
So I stripped all the junk from my diet and focused on eating entirely natural, whole foods. Within days I felt like an entirely new person. A shroud had been lifted, the fog was gone. While it was never about my weight, the pounds started melting away. I felt as if my body was gaining its true form, becoming the woman that had been hidden beneath a cloak of processed, gluten-filled foods.
My hope is that you will find inspiration here on Simply Quinoa – in my story, in my recipes, and in shared comments from our thoughtful community members. Please know that this is a place to celebrate your exquisite beauty and for your inner light to truly shine.
Ready to get started?
Awesome! The first thing I'd love for you to do is join my newsletter so I can send you a copy of my Quinoa Starter Guide. This will introduce you to the wonderful world of quinoa, give you tips on how to properly cook it and outlines the best recipes to start off with.
From there, feel free to take a look around! Check out my recipe catalog, my resources page and my kitchen pantry store.
I'm excited to share this little space of the internet with you and look forward to seeing you on the blog!
Quinoa is a complete source of protein and makes a great addition to a healthy salad. The combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats can turn a light side salad into a robust entrée.
Flavor Profile: What does quinoa taste like? Now you know that quinoa is a seed that originated in the Andes and comes in three different colors, but let's talk about flavor. These pseudograins have a nutty undertone and an earthy aftertaste similar to brown rice. However, they have a soft yet slightly chewy texture.
Quinoa seems like it should be a grain, but it's actually a dried seed. The quinoa plant is native to South America, and the seeds from it are harvested, dried, and then cooked by people like you and me!
You can eat one-two cups of cooked quinoa in a day. You should avoid eating it if you experience stomachache, itchiness or vomiting after consuming it. A study by Harvard Public School of Health has reported that eating a bowl of quinoa daily is healthy and without any side effects.
How Quinoa Helps In Weight Loss? Rich dietary fibre and protein increase metabolism, and that makes quinoa good for weight loss. Cooked Quinoa contains five grams of dietary fibre per cup. Eating high fibre foods is often the missing piece when a person is trying to shed weight.
Do you need to soak quinoa before cooking it? In short, no, you don't need to soak quinoa. However, doing so is said to remove phytic acid, which may make it easier for people to digest quinoa. If you just want to remove the bitter flavor from quinoa, rinse it under cold water for about a minute.
If you're serving it as a simple side, season it first. At the very least, toss it with salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. To kick it up another notch, stir in chopped herbs, minced garlic, toasted nuts, or crumbled feta cheese, or use it in one of the quinoa recipes below!
Quinoa is a great source of fiber. Fiber can prevent or treat constipation and may lower your risk of intestinal cancers. It also helps you feel full longer, so it may help with weight loss. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for heart health.
That smell is from the saponin, the coating I mentioned earlier, but if you do as Polisi and other quinoa experts suggest and soak the quinoa rather than merely rinse it, you've solved that problem.
If you've never eaten quinoa, Foroutan suggests trying white quinoa first because it has the mildest taste. Or you might look for a blend of red, black, and white quinoa to get as many antioxidants as possible; levels of these beneficial ingredients vary according to the color of the seeds (red has the highest levels).
After it's nice and toasty, it's time to rinse it. Quinoa has a natural coating of saponins that leaves a bitter, soapy taste in your mouth if it's not washed away, which is a huge reason a lot of people think they don't like quinoa.
Some people are particularly sensitive to saponins, which is why unrinsed cooked quinoa has a reputation for tasting bitter. However, most quinoa that is sold in packages has been "pre-rinsed," which means the saponins have been removed and rinsing isn't necessary.
For a healthier twist on pasta or potato salad, toss cooked quinoa with chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, vinegar and olive oil. Add cooked quinoa to soups, stews and casseroles. Store cooked and cooled quinoa in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Quinoa's got the carbs covered, so you'll likely want to add some additional protein (eggs, lentils, beans, tofu, chicken), a fat (olive oil, nuts, butter, cheese), and, ideally, some kind of fruit or vegetable (broccoli, berries, squash, spinach).
Quinoa is rich in both fiber and protein, contains a much higher amount of other nutrients, and has a similar fluffy texture to the rice. A cup of quinoa contains twice more protein and about 5 g more fiber than white rice. Quinoa contains fewer calories and carbohydrates than white rice.
Quinoa can be eaten raw or cooked, but it is most often eaten cooked. Quinoa is frequently used as a substitution for rice because it also takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with. Salads, tacos, and skillet dishes often incorporate quinoa.
Quinoa not only has more protein and minerals than pasta, couscous, or rice, but it also has a more favorable glycemic index. Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar rise and it's an important metric for diabetics. The lower the number, the less a food will raise blood sugar.
Cover and let sit. You can do this in the morning before you go about your day, and it will be ready for you to cook in the evening. Then drain it, wash it and cook it. Just reduce the boiling water to 1½ cups, since the quinoa will already have soaked in some liquid.
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