Let Thy Food be Thy Medicine: Quinoa Black Bean Cilantro Lime Salad

I am always amazed when I look at the health benefits of the ingredients in my food. Real wholesome food can protect against and even reverse some of the most common and life devastating (not to mention expensive) diseases in our country such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Food really is medicine!! 


The food we eat has a dramatic effect on our bodies: how it feels, looks, ages, and functions. Nature is so amazing in that it provides us with most of the medicine we need in our food. When you think about how much nutrition we are missing when we eat the typical processed food diet of Americans and then observe the growing epidemic of chronic diseases like cancer, heart  disease, and diabetes, it becomes obvious that eating a wholesome diet could drastically change our lives and the state of the health crisis in our country. 

This newsletter column will highlight a recipe and it's health benefits. This will remind us how precious wholesome food is to our health! This month we will be highlighting Quinoa Black Bean Cilantro Lime Salad, a great side dish or food to bring to a potluck!

Recipe: Quinoa Black Bean Cilantro Lime Salad

1 cup quinoa (find in bulk food section)
2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups cooked black beans
1-1/2 cups corn, fresh cooked corn is preferable, otherwise canned or frozen (thawed if frozen) 

3/4 cup chopped jicama (a brown root looking vegetable in the veggie section)

3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions

Wash the quinoa in several changes of cold water, until the water runs clear, and then drain well. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium in a saucepan. Add the drained quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked (10 to 15 minutes.)

Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add the beans, corn, bell pepper, jicama, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro and toss well. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cumin, garlic and salt. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil in a stream while whisking. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away or keep covered in the refrigerator overnight (bring to room temperature before serving.)

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Health Benefits of this Dish

Quinoa, pronounced "keen-wah," was a staple food of the Incas of South America during ancient times. Today, quinoa is gaining popularity in America as people become more interested in their health and are looking for ways to add grains to their diet. Quinoa is technically a seed, not a grain, but it is treated as a grain and can easily substitute for rice or other grains in most dishes. Although the cooked quinoa grains are soft and delicate, the crescent-shaped "tail" that forms along the outside from the external germ is crunchy, providing a unique and pleasurable texture.  It has a higher protein content and more complete set of amino acids than many grains leading some to call it a "supergrain!" It is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair. It is also a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorus which makes it especially valuable to persons with migraine headaches, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

Black Beans:  If you're wondering how to replace red meat in your menus, enjoy the rich taste of black beans. These smoky flavored beans are a good source of protein, and when combined with a whole grain such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice, provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods. And, when you get your protein from black beans, you also get the blood sugar stabilizing and heart health benefits of the soluble fiber provided by these versatile legumes. This makes beans a great choice for people with diabetes and reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, heart attact, etc. A cup of black beans will provide you with 15.2 grams of protein (that's 30.5% of the daily value for protein), plus 74.8% of the daily value for fiber. All this for a cost of only 227 calories with virtually no fat. 
 
Corn is rich in phosphurus, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and selenium. These nutritrients are good for skin care, the nervous systems, digetion and maintaining low cholesterol levels.

Red Bell Pepper: 1 cup of chopped red bell pepper has only 46 little calories and 3g (13%) fiber which may help prevent certain cancers such as colon and aids in digestive health, heart health, weight management and diabetes. It also is a great source of Vitamin C which strengthens the immune system and helps iron absorption (so yo absorb that iron in your black beans!!!). It is also a good source of Vitamin A, which plays an important role in vision, bone growth, immune function, cell function and skin health, and B vitamins, which help brain function, convertsion of protein to energy and aid in healthy metabolism, skin, immune function. These vitamins also may help relieve symptoms caused by stress, depression and heart disease. Bell pepper also contains folate, vitamin E, and vitamin K, protecting the body from heart disease, liver disease, cell damage, cancer, stroke, and many other diseases.

Jicama is a less common vegetable that is low in calories and an excellent source of fiber, potassium, iron, calcium and vitamins C and E. It helps keep cholesterol levels low and may protect against heart disease. Eating Jicama also boosts your immune system and promotes healthy bones.

Garlic: Research has shown that garlic helps keep people healthy by preventing cancer and reducing the risk of heart disease. It contains allicin which is a powerful antioxidant and many people use it to prevent colds and infection. And it makes everything delicious! I start pretty much all my meals with a few cloves of garlic!

Olive oil: The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidant substances. Studies have shown that is offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol while raising HDL ("good") cholesterol

Fresh herbs and spices also have great health benefits! 

Cilantro helps in digestion and has an anti-inflammatory properties that protect against many diseases.

Cumin is exceptionally rich in iron, making it a great natural supplement for blood health and an antidote for anemia. Because of its powerful antioxidant porperties, cumin stregthens the body's natural immunities and has been used traditionally to treat colds, cough, fever, and sore throat It also support healthy prenatal development in pregnant women. Cumin seeds are highly effective in treating insomnia and also improve digestion, memory and overall mental function. It also boosts metabolic function and absorption of nutrients. Recent research has revealed that cumin may slow the growth of breast and colon cancer cells. So go ahead spice your food! No calories, yummy flavor, and tons of health benefits!