Quinoa and Cheese.

Mac and cheese is one of America's favorite dishes. Unfortunately, the typical macaroni and cheese (usually boxed) is not an effective meal in terms of providing nutrition for you nor for the kiddos. But you don't have to ban the cheesy goodness. Here is an improved "mac and cheese" recipe, adding a nutritional punch, using quinoa instead of the macaroni pasta.

WHAT IS QUINOA?

Quinoa is a very nutrient rich grain that has re-popularized in recent years. This ancient grain has its historical roots from South America. In contrast to the majority of other grains, quinoa is a generous protein provider. Quinoa also is a good source of those healthy fats like essential fatty acids and heart healthy mono-saturated fats. Recent studies are unveiling quinoa's anti-inflammatory benefits.  Lastly, it is gluten free for those who require or prefer gluten free diets.

  

Find more nutrition info on quinoa, featured on World's Healthiest Food

Here is what quinoa looks like. There are a few different varieties of quinoa including red and darker quinoa. For this recipe I used the white quinoa.

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Ingredients:

Quinoa
Sharp cheddar cheese
Plain Greek Yoghurt
Dijon Mustard

1. COOK QUINOA 

It is very easy to cook the quinoa. Use a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water. Let boil. Once the water is soaked up, the quinoa should be plumped up and look like this. I used 1 cup of quinoa.

2. MIX IN 3 INGREDIENTS

The second and last step for this recipe is mixing

 in the other ingredients. The amount that you mix in is very flexible, depending on your preference. This is roughly the amounts that I add with 1 cup of quinoa (1 cup uncooked)... 1 large spoonful of dijon honey mustard, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of plain unsweetened greek yogurt, and about a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. 

I always eat my quinoa and cheese with a zesty salad. (Try out my homemade red wine gorgonzola vinaigrette- coming soon!)