Fiona's Quinoa Crunch Cereals

Fiona's Quinoa Crunch is available in two wonderful varieties, Almond Blueberry Peach and Strawberry Mango.  Although designed as a breakfast cereal, there are many other ways to enjoy these wonderful products.  Not only are they gluten-free, they are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.  Here are some ways to enjoy them:

~  Stir into yogurt.  

~  Cover with cow's milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp milk, or goat milk. 

(For best results, let sit five minutes in milk or yogurt, then enjoy.)

~  As a hot cereal.  Cover with hot water (or hot milk) and let sit one minute.  No cooking required!

~  Add to smoothies.

~  Add to cookie batter in place of rolled oats. 

~  As a replacement for instant oatmeal.

~  Make the recipes on Fiona's website: Fruit Crisp, Cookies, and Thanksgiving Stuffing.

~ Take it camping.  Just add hot water, and get ready to start your day of adventures!

~ This is the pefect baby food.  Add warm water and let sit until cool enough for a baby's palate.

~ Add to pancake batter, waffle batter, and muffin mix for added nutrition, flavor, and texture.

Summer Nutrition

Follow these 10 smart nutrition tips

to keep you healthy this summer:

1. Drink water. Staying hydrated helps to keep your energy levels up. Heat can zap your energy, so drinking lots of water is particularly important in the summer.

2. Cut back on the caffeine. Among other things, caffeine can dehydrate the body, which will negate the positive effects of the water that you're drinking. 

3. Eat more berries. Fresh berries are some of the best foods that you can add to your summer diet. In addition to important vitamins and minerals, they contain anti-oxidants and are high in fiber. Add them to smoothies, use them as ice cream toppings, and best of all, add them to your bowl of Fiona's Granola every morning!

4. Be smart about your salads. The main thing is to pay attention to how much dressing you put on your salads and what type of dressing you are using. A fresh dressing made from lemon juice, herbs, and olive oil is going to be a lot healthier for you than a creamy packaged dressing.

5. Get in your protein. Many people tend to reduce their protein intake during the warmer months of the year. Protein remains an important part of your daily diet, even during the summer. 

6. Add vegetables to the grill.  Make some shish kebabs or simply add veggies to the grill so that you're getting more than just protein every time that you barbecue.

7. Get enough potassium. Sweating during the summer months can cause muscle problems because it throws off your electrolytes. You can avoid this problem by making sure that you get enough potassium in your diet during the summer months. Foods especially high in potassium include bananas, figs, dates, pears, nectarines, nuts, pinto beans, halibut, yellowfin tuna, and yogurt.

8. Eat seasonal produce. There are a lot of really great foods that come into season during the summer months. Shopping at your local farmers' market is a terrific way to find out which foods are in season in your area.

9. Eat smoothies. Fruit smoothies (you can even add dark leafy greens for added nutrition) are refreshing, healthy, and take advantage of summer's bounty. Try a smoothie as a breakfast alternative, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or as a healthy dessert. For added nutrition, sprinkle some Fiona's Quinoa Crunch into your smoothie!

10. Make sure that your food is fresh. Fresh food is a particular concern in the summer because the temperatures get warmer and foods spoil more quickly. Make sure that you pay extra attention to the freshness of meats and seafood. 

 
Information extracted from an article by Katheryn Vercillo.

 

Quinoa Hazelnut Salad 

This is the perfect summer salad.  Full of protein from the quinoa, cheese, and nuts, it is also packed with nutrients and fiber. You can add diced chicken or salmon if you'd like to turn it into a main course.  You can be as creative as you'd like with any kind of chopped or shredded vegetable, different nuts, and different cheeses. Other ideas are bell peppers, carrots, jicama, onion, celery, cabbage, asparagus, green beans, or just about anything you have on hand that would add color, flavor, and crunch to your salad!

1 heaping cup quinoa

2 cups water  

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (marinated) 

4 cups packed salad greens (baby spinach, arugula, mixed greens, etc.)

1/2 cup Fiona's Rosemary Hazelnuts

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)

Salt or other seasonings to taste

Bring quinoa, water, and salt to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook 15-20 minutes, until all water is absorbed.  Remove lid, stir, and allow quinoa to cool to room temperature.

Transfer quinoa to large bowl.  Add sundried tomatoes, salad greens, hazelnuts, and feta cheese.  Lightly toss all ingredients together and serve.

Note: You can substitute cherry tomatoes for the sundried tomatoes.  Then toss the salad with olive oil and herbs before serving.  If you use unmarinated sundried tomatoes, also add olive oil and herbs before serving. 

Fiona's favorite: Rosemary Hazelnuts