Protein Packed Spring Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

·         1 cup quinoa uncooked

·         3 cups broccoli cut into small pieces

·         ½ cup yellow onion diced

·          6 cups kale chopped

·         1 cup cilantro chopped

·         1 can corn drained

·         1 can diced tomatoes drained

·         1 ½ table spoons coconut oil

·         2 limes squeezed

·         salt and pepper to taste

Directions: (Makes about 10, 1 cup servings)

1. Rinse and drain quinoa. In a sauce pan place 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, vegetable, or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, and cover.  Cook for 10-15 minutes or until water is absorbed.

2. Heat pan to medium heat and add coconut oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes. Add kale, a squeeze of lime, salt, and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.

3. In a large boil mix quinoa, cilantro, corn, diced tomatoes, and broccoli and kale mixture. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Can be served warm or cold

Health benefits

Quinoa –wheat and gluten free and a high source of protein. Contains all of the 8 essential amino acids making it the only grain that is a complete protein.

Broccoli-a cruciferous vegetable, which is an antioxidant and detoxifier lowering one’s risk for cancer.

Kale-contains carotenes, fiber, and is one of the most powerful cancer preventative foods. It is high in Vitamin K, which is good for bone health and Vitamin A, which is good for eye health.

Cilantro-is good as a digestive aid, lowers cholesterol, and can be used to treat anxiety.

Lime-high in antioxidants, anticancer properties, and a great source of Vitamin C.

Easy Coconut Bars for Sustained Energy

Ingredients

·         Coconut oil

·         2 eggs

·         1 banana

·         ¼ cup honey

·         ½ tsp vanilla

·         ⅓ cup coconut flour

·         1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

·         4 Tbsp almond milk

·         ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use the coconut oil to grease an 8x8 pan.

2. Crack eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk.

3. Mash banana and add to the bowl with the eggs along with the honey and vanilla.

4. Add the coconut flour, making sure to combine everything well and ensuring there are no clumps.

5. Add the unsweetened shredded coconut and almond milk and mix to ensure the batter is well combined.

6. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over top.

7. Bake bars in the oven for 20-25 minutes until edges are brown

*Recipe adapted from mommayoungathome.com

Nutritional Benefits-these little bars are packed with healthy fats to help boost your energy in a hurry. They are also gluten free and paleo!

Coconut (including shredded coconut and coconut flour) –high in saturated fat that gives you energy and boosts your metabolism, high in lauric acid, which boosts HDL helping prevent cardio vascular disease, is high in fiber, which helps eliminate excess LDL out of the body.

Pecans- rich in monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and an excellent source of antioxidants, rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, high in Vitamin E, which is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membranes, mucus membranes, and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen-free radicals.