I’ve become a quinoa lover in the past year.

Quinoa was only a rice substitute in my mind when I first gave it a try, but I’ve found it to be much more versatile than I had originally thought!

The nutrition facts for quinoa are pretty awesome. One cup of cooked quinoa has 220 calories, 3.5 grams of healthy fat, and 8 grams of protein! That protein number is what really catches my eye because I am always working on getting more protein in my diet. Quinoa is actually a healthy carbohydrate AND it contains the amino acids needed to help your body use protein well. Super food is right!

Once I realized how much I could do with quinoa, I bought a large bag of Nature’s Earthly Choice Organic Quinoa at Costco and I’m so glad I did! It use some at least once a week and it is lasting us a long time!

I took to quinoa quickly, but I knew the boys would be a little harder sell. That’s when Pinterest came to the rescue! Here are a few of my favorite quinoa recipes, for myself and the rest of the crew, as well as a few I can’t wait to try!

We already love these recipes…

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins from Once a Month Mom

Everything in these is YUMMY and the quinoa adds a unique bit of crunch that the boys and I love!

Breakfast Quinoa from How Sweet It Is

One of my favorite breakfasts right now because I don’t have to add any sweeteners – it’s delicious the just the way it is, topped with sliced bananas and chopped pecans!

Slow Cooker Chicken Quinoa Chili from Sweet Treats and More

This is a wonderful, filling lunch or supper dish! I’m the only one who really enjoys this, but I still make a regular batch and freeze the extras for later lunches!

I also love to mix up some quinoa with leftover shredded meat and veggies for a quick, healthy lunch!

And a few recipes we’re excited to try…

Quinoa Chicken Tenders

I’m giving these a shot in place of store-bought chicken nuggets this week! They sound fabulous to me, but I want the boys to love them, too! Wish me luck…

Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls from Vegangela

I’m a sucker for anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate. And when Big J saw the picture of these, he wanted to know when we could try them, so I can’t wait to whip up a batch!

Chocolate Quinoa Protein Energy Bars from No Meat Athlete

Chocolate – good. Quinoa – good. Protein – good. Energy – good. I just need to pick up some protein powder before I can attempt these bars!

Does your family enjoy quinoa? What are your favorite recipes?

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