Quinoa Avocado Salad for Strong Heart

by Ms. Esther Peh, the President of the Naturopathic Medical Association Malaysia

Secret Recipe for Strong Heart

by Ms. Esther Peh, the President of the Naturopathic Medical Association Malaysia.

Quinoa Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa 

1 avocado (diced)

1 medium sized cucumber (diced)

½ cup of halved cherry tomatoes

¼ cup of finely chopped red onion

½ cup of sliced sweet green pepper

½ cup of chopped walnuts

Fresh thyme, coriander or basil in any combination (chopped)

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of organic apple cider vinegar 

2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tsp raw sugar

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Boil quinoa in 2 cups of water in a pan on medium heat. Mix 1/4 tablespoon of salt before boiling and cover the pan while boiling. After boiling properly, let the quinoa to cool. 

2. Now, mix cucumber, cherry tomatoes, freshly chopped onion, sweet green pepper and fresh herbs with it.

3. For a tasty dressing, mix apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. 

4. Now combine quinoa, salad mix, walnuts, dressing and serve it in a bowl.

Benefits:

It’s low in calories, and sodium and cholesterol free. For those of you looking for a Heart Healthy meal Quinoa is excellent for promoting cardiovascular health due to it’s high content of heart healthy fat compared to other grains. Quinoa is one of the only plant protein sources that is a “complete” protein.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, he fatty acids in olive oil are called oleic acid. Oleic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which promotes health and helps to prevent a slew of diseases.

Walnuts maintained flexibility of the arteries due to the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found inside. (ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid similar to those omega-3 fatty acids found in fish). Walnuts reduce bad cholesterol and protects the heart.