About the Recipe
Quinoa might look like a grain but it is actually a formidable seed from South America and comes in a variety of colours, if you are new to it then maybe start with the white variety and work your on to red or black as it has the mildest flavour. It is packed with nutrients making this recipe a powerhouse of lean protein and the added bonus of manganese, magnesium and copper.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cups water
2 lbs extra lean ground chicken or turkey breast
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup BBQ sauce or combo with ketchup or thai chili sauce (get creative)
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Preparation
To Make Quinoa - this makes more than you need but you can use the leftovers for so many other things, add to salads or wraps for example
Combine the quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes.
Fluff with a fork.
To Make Meatloaf -
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and then line with a sheet of tin foil for easy clean up in case it spills over.
In a big bowl combine the ground meat of choice, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, grated parm, 1/4 BBQ sauce, egg, dried basil, onions, garlic and ground pepper. **
Place the mix into a loaf pan, brush a bit more BBQ sauce or ketchup on the top
Bake uncovered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, let stand and rest for 15 minutes covered before slicing and serving.
Serve with a sauteed green beans, green salad, your favourite grilled veg...
** Note I don't add additional salt to this recipe because BBQ sauce can be a little heavy on the sodium but if you are using ketchup or other sauce that isn't salty then you may want to add a 1/4 tsp of salt to the mixture, remember parmesan cheese is going to give you some salt flavour as well.