Quinoa Salad (plus my diet & lifestyle change) - #breakfastseries

Quinoa Salad

I'm on a quest of eating as healthily as possible to prepare my body for the next pregnancy should my rainbow baby pays me a visit. :)

Here are a few points that I'm incorporating into my diet:

• Avoid excess fat/oil, sugar, preservatives, and seasonings.
• Cut down simple carbohydrates, e.g. white rice, white bread, pasta.
• Eliminate simple carbohydrates from dinner.
• Eat dinner before 7:30pm.
• Drink at least 1.8L plain water every day.
• Reduce tea and coffee to only one cup (without sugar) per week.

So far so good. I'm also exercising 20-30 minutes daily after reaching home in the evening. This daily routine keeps me motivated and less stressed out. I do hope my 31 months toddler will see me as a role model in terms of living an active lifestyle, not just typing away on mobile and laptop. :P

This quinoa salad serves as a great low-carb dinner. Great in taste and texture, and surprisingly filling!

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 dried fig, coarsely chopped
4 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons raisins
1 cup cucumber cubes
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey, plus more for drizzling
Raw pumpkin seeds, for garnishing

How to:

1. Add 1 cup of water into a pot and add the rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low-medium heat for about 12 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Let cool for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

2. In a bowl, add the chopped dried fig, dates, raisins, cucumber, and blueberries. Give them a gentle toss and add the fluffed quinoa.

3. Mix yogurt with honey until well combined. Pour into the quinoa mix and gently toss until well combined. Drizzle with some honey (optional) and top with raw pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.

Great for breakfast and perfect for a low-carb dinner.

This post is also linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up (Little Thumbs Up March 2016: Honey) organized by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids), Doreen (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Joyce (joycescapade.com).