Superfood Saturday: Amaranth!

Superfood Saturday: Amaranth

I’ve been researching lesser known (at least to me!) grains lately… today’s superfood spotlight is on amaranth, which is a gluten-free grain. It was a major food crop of the Aztecs and is estimated to be 6,000 years old! 

Top Amaranth Benefits:

~ High in protein

~ Reduces inflammation

~ Bone Health

~ Lowers cholesterol

~ Aids digestive system

~ Fights Diabetes

~ Aids weight loss

Amaranth has a nutty and toasted flavor, so it works well in many dishes. My favorite way to eat is in place of oatmeal in the morning! Here are a few ideas about how to include amaranth into your everyday diet:

• Mix amaranth with fruit and nuts instead of simply using oats.

• Serve amaranth instead of rice, pasta, orzo, couscous or risotto.

• Add amaranth to soup or chili to create a thicker texture.

AND Amaranth is in my superfood shake that I drink daily to stay healthy. It’s so interesting to learn about all these new superfoods, right? 

One Pot Cajun Chicken Stew

Hey everyone!  I’m headed to New Orleans this week for our annual Coach Summit so I wanted to create something that had some a bit of Cajun flair to it ;)  I love this recipe because it is super easy and is reminiscent of all the great NOLA flavor. I am feeling really lucky to have the opportunity to change people’s lives through fitness & nutrition and am so thankful to be able to spend time with the wonderful ladies on my team this week.  Anyway, please try this recipe and let me know what you think!!

Here’s the recipe:

Cajun Chicken Stew

Combine all ingredients in a large pot on stove:

~one 32oz container of chicken broth

~1.5lbs chicken breast cubed

~one cup quick cooking brown rice

~one can petite diced tomatoes

~red and yellow pepper diced

~one cup diced zucchini

~small red onion diced

~one bunch asparagus diced

~one ear of fresh corn cut off of the cob

~2T Cajun seasoning

~1/2 tsp salt.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Optional: Top w/your favorite hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Superfood Saturday: Quinoa!

Superfood Saturday: Quinoa

It seems like quinoa is EVERYWHERE these days, so I wanted to take some time today to talk about the benefits of this superfood. We love making it in our house- it is versatile and can be put in hot or cold recipes and has a great fluffy texture.

<Quinoa Health Benefits>

-Gluten free

-High in Protein

-One of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids

-Very high in Fiber, much higher than other grains

-Very high in Protein

-Has a low glycemic index, which is good for blood sugar control

It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus & vitamin E 

And it is one of the ingredients of the PROPRIETARY PROTEIN BLEND in my Shakeology that I love & drink daily. The protein in Shakeology helps to build lean muscles and reduce cravings and is a treat I truly look forward to everyday.

If you haven't tried Shakeology yet I would love to share more with you. Send me a message or post interested below and I will reach out.

*For more information on other superfood ingredients in Shakeology you can see my past Super Food Saturday posts in my Pinterest library: https://www.pinterest.com/trishzelenak/super-foods/