How to Eat Quinoa for Weight Loss

Adding Quinoa to Your Diet

Swap white rice for quinoa for an easy substitute. Although quinoa isn’t necessarily a grain, it tastes like one. If you are making a stir fry, try adding quinoa instead of rice for a more filling, healthy alternative.Did You Know? Quinoa is also gluten free, just like rice is.

Eat quinoa instead of red meat for some extra protein. Quinoa has about 8 grams of protein for every 1 cup (250 g). If you’re trying to cut back on eating red meat, like steak and ground beef, try using quinoa to get your daily protein intake. Try to eat about 56 grams of protein every day for a balanced diet.

Add quinoa to a salad to make it more filling. If your salad is all vegetables, it may not fill you up for as long as you’d like it to. Try adding 1 cup (250 g) of cooked quinoa to your salad so you can feel full for a longer time. Quinoa doesn’t have much flavor on its own, so it pairs well with almost anything. You can also substitute pasta for quinoa in pasta salad.

Stir fruit and nuts into quinoa for an easy breakfast. Pour your cooked quinoa into a bowl and add some bananas, apples, or strawberries. Crush up some almonds or walnuts for an extra crunch and eat a healthy, filling breakfast. Try cooking your quinoa in milk instead of water for a creamier, richer flavor.

Pop raw quinoa like popcorn kernels for a healthy snack. Heat up a medium sauce pan on the stove, then add enough quinoa to cover the pan in a single layer. Set the heat to medium and put a lid on the pot, shaking the quinoa around so the heat gets distributed evenly. Take the quinoa off the heat when you don't hear any popping anymore. Add a pinch of salt for a hint of flavor on your popped quinoa.

Try eating 1 cup (250 g) of quinoa per day. Since quinoa is so high in fiber, eating too much of it can lead to intestinal discomfort. Try to stick with 1 serving of quinoa per day to eat healthier.

Cooking Plain Quinoa

Measure out 1 cup (250 g) of dry quinoa. It’s best to cook quinoa in small quantities. Pour out about 1 cup (250 g) of quinoa into a measuring cup. You don’t have to be super accurate, but it helps to know how much you have. You can find quinoa at most grocery stores.

Rinse the quinoa with cool water for 2 minutes. Put your quinoa into a strainer and run it under cool water. Try to keep it under the water for at least 2 minutes to rinse off the quinoa’s natural coating.Did You Know? The coating, called saponin, can make the quinoa taste soapy or stick together. Most quinoa comes pre-rinsed, but it’s always good to give it another one in your home.

Dump the quinoa into a rice cooker or a pot. If you have a rice cooker, you can cook quinoa the same way you would cook plain rice. If you don’t, choose a medium-sized sauce pot and pour your rinsed quinoa into it.

Add 2 cups (470 mL) of water. Make sure the water fully covers the quinoa. If you want to add any more quinoa, you can simply double the amount of water that you use. The quinoa will soak up the water to make it light and fluffy.

Bring the water to a boil. Turn your stovetop up to high heat or turn the rice cooker on high. Wait until you see small bubbles rising to the top of the water to know that it’s boiling. Depending on your stovetop, this could take between 3 and 5 minutes.

Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Bring your water down to a simmer, or until you see small bubbles rising to the surface. Leave it uncovered to simmer for about 15 minutes, then serve your quinoa however you’d like! If you made too much quinoa, you can seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Making Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Drain and rinse 1 cup (250 g) of black beans. If your black beans are raw, soak them in water first until they are soft. Then, rinse them off with cool water and strain them.

Combine the quinoa, beans, and corn in a bowl. Add your 1 cup (250 g) of quinoa, 1 cup (250 g) of black beans, and 1 cup (250 g) of chopped corn to a large serving bowl. You can use frozen corn, but make sure it’s thawed first. If you are using corn on the cob, cut the kernels off the cob to combine them with the rest of your ingredients.

Add 1 finely chopped shallot. Use a sharp knife and a cutting board to chop up a shallot into 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) pieces. Sprinkle it on top of your black bean salad for a slight taste of onion.Alternative: You can also use red onion instead if you’d like.

Mix in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. To make all your ingredients together, pour in 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to combine all of your ingredients. If you don’t like balsamic vinegar, you can stick with just olive oil.

Sprinkle in basil, salt, and pepper. Chop up about 1/4 cup (32 g) of basil and throw it in on top of your salad. Sprinkle in sea salt and black pepper to your taste and serve up your salad! You can store your black bean salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Frying Quinoa Patties

Mix your quinoa, eggs, and salt in a bowl. Pour 2.5 cups (340 g) of quinoa, 4 beaten eggs, and 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of sea salt into a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently fold the ingredients together until the salt is dissolved. The eggs help to hold the patties together so they don’t crumble apart.

Stir in some chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Chop up 1/3 cup (15 g) of chives, then add them to the mix. Then, add 3 cloves of chopped garlic, along with 1 chopped white onion and 1/3 cup (14 g) of grated parmesan cheese. You can use gruyere cheese instead of parmesan if you’d like a more rich, nuttier taste.

Pour in the bread crumbs and let them sit for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup (100 g) of bread crumbs to the mixture and stir them in. Let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes so the bread crumbs can soak up the excess moisture. If your mixture is still watery, add in 1/2 cup (50 g) of bread crumbs and stir them in.

Form your dough into 1 in (2.5 cm) patties. Your dough can make about 12 patties. Scoop out the dough with your hands and form them into small, flat balls. If the patties are too thick, they won’t cook evenly.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Use a large skillet so you can fit about 6 patties at once. Turn it onto medium heat and warm up some olive oil in the skillet.

Cook the patties for 7 minutes on each side. Keep the skillet on medium heat and place 5 to 6 patties on it at a time. Once the patties start to turn golden brown on one side, turn them over to the other side with a spatula. Take them off the heat when they are golden brown on either side. If the patties start to turn black or smoke, take them off the heat right away.

Cool the patties on a wire rack, then put them on a bun. You can use your quinoa patties to replace red meat, like ground beef. Add lettuce, mayonnaise, and mustard if you’d like to eat a healthy alternative to a burger, and throw on some sliced tomatoes or raw onions for extra flavor.Tip: Quinoa patties are also vegetarian, so you can eat them if you’re trying to cut back on your meat consumption.