Clean Eating: How to Prepare Gluten-Free Quinoa
To say I’m enamored with quinoa is probably an understatement. This delicious, gluten-free grain is a staple of our clean eating lifestyle. Barely a week goes by when I don’t make up a batch and turn it into a healthy side dish or main dish — quinoa southwestern stew, quinoa breakfast porridge and quinoa w/pesto are a few of my favorites. It’s almost always part of my weekly meal plan.
Quinoa is super easy to make, quick cooking and takes on the flavor of almost anything you add. Plus it’s low-fat, low-cal and high in protein, to boot! Not bad for an ancient grain from South America. It honestly is a treat to make and eat and beautifully supports clean eating. And since I try to avoid wheat, it’s the perfect grain for me.
Check out my latest video that I’ve put together chock full of information about quinoa and a super simple recipe you will love.
Do you get inspired about what you can make with quinoa? Here’s the recipe so you can get into action right away!
Quinoa Tabouli
Makes 4-6 servings
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1. Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered over medium heat for 15 minutes until most of water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.
2. Remove lid, stir once, and continue to simmer until all water is evaporated and then let coo.
3. Stir in parsley, tomatoes, lemon juice, zest and olive oil.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy quinoa? How does it support your clean eating lifestyle?
Filed under: Gluten-free, Grains, Healthy Meals, clean eating | No Comments







The only way I know to stay on track with clean eating and make wise food choices, is to consistently prepare my own food. I’m a planner at heart and meal planning is a simple yet powerful practice that makes all the difference in whether Bruce and I eat cleanly during the week.
One of the staples of our clean eating lifestyle is using fresh herbs in lots of dishes we make. Herbs add flavor without the fat, make food more interesting and are super easy to use. One of things I love is that you can easily grow your own. Each spring I like to buy seedlings and plant them outside in pots, in my urban garden. This year I’ve been growing parsley, basil, thyme and cilantro. I love the ease of being able to go outside and snip a tablespoon or two for a recipe.

A telltale sign that colder weather is approaching is my desire to move to warmer, albeit still clean, foods. In the summer, I’m a big fan of a raw smoothie for breakfast — chock full of fruit, veggies like kale, and my favorite superfoods (I’m partial to cacao, blue-green algae and maca). My smoothie is the essence of clean eating and the perfect way to get the day started on a healthy note.




