I discovered the gluten free equivalent of cous cous last week at the supermarket. What is it? Quinoa.

Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wa’) is a South American whole grain about the same size, shape and color of cous cous. Quinoa has high protein content of 15% which is higher than meat. It’s also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron and has a low glycaemic index (GI). It’s also gluten free and high in fiber (good for the bowel digestive system). It’s native to the upper Andes of Bolivia and Peru and has been cultivated by the Incas dating back to 6000 years. It was the sacred food of the Incas and they labeled it ‘mother of all grains’. To our luck we don’t have to go all the way to South America to eat quinoa dishes. Quinoa is now been cultivated and available in the States.

Here are some essential tips to enjoy quinoa in your daily life:

• You can use quinoa in soups, salads, stews, desserts, quiches and even as a breakfast substitute for oats.
• You can use quinoa as a substitute for grains like cous cous.
• Quinoa will approximately triple in size when you cook it, this way more quinoa for the family to enjoy.
• Toast the dry quinoa in a dry frying pan on low heat for about 5 minutes while stirring to get a nuttier taste.
• Unlike other grains, quinoa is easy to digest.
• Quinoa also provides starch, sugars, minerals, and vitamins.
• A whole-grain dish of quinoa takes just 15 minutes and 25 if you add some protein meat.

Here is a traditional quinoa recipe:

INCA QUINOA PILAF

1/2 cup of diced carrot
1/2 cup of diced Spanish onion
1/4 cup of diced celery
1/4 cup of diced green pepper
5 cups of cooked quinoa
1 cup of sliced almonds
1/4 cup of diced sweet red pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
 Salt to taste Directions:

Stir fry the vegetables in olive oil until crisp. Add the oregano and cooked hot quinoa. Add salt to taste. Toast almonds in heavy skillet until lightly golden. Add almonds and mix and serve hot.

There are many ways to pack in healthy and natural foods into this Thanksgiving season. A sweet potato can be the answer. The sweet potato is a tuberous root vegetable belonging to the family of plants of the morning glory, and native to Central America. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, B6, riboflavin, copper, pantothetic acid and folic acid.

The sweet potato is high in dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates. You can add more nutrition value to your Thanksgiving dinner by adding a sweet potato recipe or have as side dish. Yum! They can even be used for dessert. The sweet potato is popular even in the famous sugarbusters diet as they’re a great substitute for other foods high in sugar and carbohydrates such as rice, pasta and corn. It’s also good in beta-carotene.

Add some sweetness with a dessert this Thanksgiving: Sweet Potato Pudding:

Recipe:

• 1 (29 ounce) can sweet potatoes
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 220 g packed brown sugar
• 250 ml milk
• 55 g melted butter
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 0.4 g ground ginger
• 0.5 g ground cloves
• 1 g ground cinnamon
• 2 g salt

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

2. Combine sweet potatoes and eggs in a medium bowl. Beat in the brown sugar, milk, butter, lemon juice, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, salt. Pour into prepared dish.

3. Bake in preheated oven until hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

As a frequent flyer, I always arrive back home with some sort of illness. Whether it’s a mild cold, a tummy ache or a bad throat, you are sure to come back with slight plane or jet lag discomfort. Sometimes things can get a bit tougher, like severe colds, migraines, food poisoning or heart condition problems.

Actress Winona Ryder was briefly hospitalized after falling ill on a flight to London’s Heathrow Airport last Wednesday. Regardless of Winona Ryder’s illness was there before or after she got on the plane, anyone can be subject to various type of diseases. People in planes are sneezing, coughing, wiping their noses and touching things in the same spots as you. These human fumes are circulated and suppressed in the plane.  

Tips to prevent catching germs when you’re up in the air:

• Ask your doctor about ingesting some form of vitamin C and other antioxidants, Zinc lozenges or Selenium tablets. You can even try protecting the immune system with herbal Echinacea.
• Drink lots of water, herbal teas and juice. Turn down the less dehydrating coffee, soda/fizzy drinks and alcohol. Cabin air dries out crucial protective sinuses leaving travelers more vulnerable to microbial infection. Steam from hot beverages will help keep mucous membranes moist. Try to consume the more liquids you can handle. Tip: Be sure to get an aisle seat.
• Get a flu shot, or opt for nasal sprays and other new anti-virals in the market.
• Try not to fly during high flu seasons or when the news is reporting an outbreak, especially to the most popular travel destinations.
• Feel confident in wearing a face filter mask. This would work if people had the nerve to wear them up in the air.
• Surgical gloves might be less obvious than a facial mask. It will keep you from touching things and wiping your face.
• Try not to touch anything with your hands. Avoid shaking hands with new friends. Avoid opening the overhead compartment or toilet handles with your bare hands - use your sleeve or a bandana/hanky. If you do have to touch something remember to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face or eating.
• If you cannot wash your hands, carry and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Use a travel sized container of a germ killing mouthwash..
• Use germ wipes to clean surfaces like arm rests, tray tables, seat belt buckles, vent controls and other direct contact surfaces.
• Try not to talk to too many passengers in general. People can be contagious with something and not even show signs of illness.
• Insist in moving your seat if passengers are sneezing, coughing or exhibiting obvious signs of flu or cold illness.