Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon Avocado & Pistachios

I had a huge bunch of beet greens that I wanted to use when I saw the recipe that came along with our CSA produce box, a Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Avocado and Pistachios by Deborah Madison and I immediately decided I would try out the recipe.  I know that lots of good things have been said about quinoa already, but it is an especially good carb for diabetics since it is digested very slowly in the body and won't spike your blood sugar.

I had never cooked with black quinoa before this so I never realized that black quinoa is much crunchier than other quinoa.  At first I thought maybe I misjudged the cooking time!  It makes for an interesting texture and the color adds aesthetic interest, but I think if I were to make this again, I'd mix the black quinoa with some of the other quinoas...it's just a little too crunchy for my personal taste.

However, the dish itself was beautiful and very easy to throw together.  I loved the dressing and it went perfectly well with all the herbs mixed into the salad.

Roasted Pepper and Quinoa Verrines with Avocado Cream

This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs Tartelette.  Her site is beautiful and always inspires me to bake.  This particular dish is one of my favorites on her blog even though it is not one of her amazing desserts.  Though its not sweet, the dish LOOKS like dessert - so it's right up my alley ;)

There seems to be a misconception that quinoa is a grain, but it is actually a seed and what they call a pseudocereal.  Like a grain, the numbers read high in carbs, but it is a complex carb with a low glycemic index.  It's packed with enough essential amino acids and nutrients that will benefit diabetics, even with the high carb reading.  Just everything in moderation.

 In Cy's case, I feel that this makes for part of a great post work-out dinner.  He has a tendency to go very hypoglycemic after meals after his workouts, so quinoa is a good balance.

Not only that, but the dish is pretty enough to serve for company as a side or appetizer.  It's good for everyone!