Swimming and Quinoa, My Two New Discoveries

Swimming
I decided to add swimming to my routine after a friend offered to observe me during her practice once a week. According to her, I would need to devote three 15-20 minute secessions a week, one day with her and two days on my own. This would be a great opportunity to cross train, so I decided to substitute it with time I previously devoted to running.

Every swim I feel an improvement. Previously, the only “skill” I had in water was keeping myself from sinking. I tensed up using too much energy to maneuver myself through the water, fighting rather than working with the water.

Sometimes the things you resist/fear the most are often things you end up enjoying the most. Today my dogs, who were very skittish about running water, learned to enjoy playing in the sprinkler.


Quinoa
Quinoa is a seed from the quinoa plant. I discovered quinoa this past year and it is an exciting addition to my diet. This seed is cooked just like rice and can often be used as a replacement for rice. Though it’s main calories source is from carbs (having 39g in once cooked cup, 156 calories from carbs), it also has a significant source of fat (4g in a cooked cup, 36 calories from fat) and protein (8g in a cooked cup, 32 calories from protein). It is also lower in fat than many other seeds.

Here is a comparison between quinoa, born rice and white rice. The nutrition information I found on the quinoa varies a little bit by source.
1 cup cooked:
Quinoa – 4g fat, 39g carbs, 8g protein
Brown Rice, medium grain – 1.6g fat, 45.8g carbs, 4.5g protein
White Rice, medium grain – 0.4g fat, 53.2g carbs, 4.4g, protein

I use it as a side dish adding a little extra protein and a verity of protein to my meals. I really enjoy the texture and the taste and find that others I introduce it to also enjoy quinoa, health nut or not.

My mom and I decided to make stuffed grape leaves using quinoa as a replacement for rice. I can honestly say my mom’s stuffed grape leave recipes (meat and vegetarian) are the best I have ever tried. The results of the substitution were satisfying.

The meat turned out to be good. The texture and the flavor were good being in par with the rice version; The rolled leaves did not fall apart while eating. I will definitely make these again. The vegetarian filling with the quinoa was extremely yummy. However, the rolled leaves fell apart while eating. Next time I would use the vegetarian filling to stuff something else, like a pepper, or just eat the filling alone.

Below are the recipes. Try them out and let me know what you think or if you have any ideas.

Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves
2lbs Beef
2 cups Quinoa
Lamb bones, chops or whatever (optional). Enough lamb to make one layer on the bottom of the pot.
1-2 jars Grape leaves
7 spice – eyeball the amount
1 small can of tomato sauce or an equivalent amount of fresh chopped up tomatoes.
Juice of 1 lemon
Water
Big pot

Mix all the above together except for the tomatoes and the lamb meat/bones. Put one layer of lamb on the bottom of your pot (optional). Fill the leaves with the meat. See link below to an instructional youtube video. Layer the leaves in the pot, tightly packing each layer. Pour the tomatoes on top and add water until it covers the grape leaves. Put an upside down plate on top of the leaves to keep them tightly packed while cooking. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer 30-45 minutes. When the quinoa is cooked, they are finished. Five minutes before finishing add juice of one lemon.

Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves
1 can garbanzo beans, mashed
1 cup quinoa
Juice of 1/2 - 3/4 of a lemon
Olive oil – about 1/2 cup, but to your own liking
Water
Big pot

Mix all the above together, except water. Fill the meat with the leaves. See link below to an instructional youtube video. Layer the leaves in the pot, tightly packing each layer. Add water until it covers the grapeleaves. Put an upside down plate on top of the leaves to keep them tightly packed while cooking. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer 30-45 minutes. When the quinoa is cooked, they are finished.

Youtube video on how to stuff and roll grapeleaves.