Sometimes you get a supernatural message. Those who were following me last year may remember I changed up my diet and fitness routines last spring. Some of the changes stuck. Others, not so much.

Falling Off the Stationary Bike

I gave up riding my stationary bike early last summer. I don’t remember why. I just didn’t ride it one day, and every day after that I found it grew easier to skip out on my work out.

I had excuses. My computer is nearly six years old. If I play the CD player or YouTube or Netflix too long, the computer crashes. So, of course, I couldn’t ride my stationary bike without music. I mean, can you imagine how it was that time the computer crashed halfway through my workout and the rest of my day was ruined?

I cannot help but think my ten-year-old self would not recognize the child of privilege I have become.

Anyway, no music was my biggest excuse. I recall telling someone towards the end of the year that I needed an mp3 player to resurrect my fitness biking. It probably sounded a lot like whine at the time. It certainly does now.

Eighteen for the Win

Meanwhile, I stopped making forward progress on my weight loss goals. I even slipped back a bit.

Still, I started wearing a smaller size last May, and I have maintained that lower clothing size. When I did the big tally at the turn of the year, I found that I finished 2012 eighteen pounds lighter than 2011. I own that as a win. Plus, I have calculated if I do that four more times, without gaining it all back again, I will reach my goal weight. As long as my weight loss is tied to lifestyle changes, I know the losses can be sustained.

The plan since the first of the year has therefore been to get serious again this spring and lose enough weight to finish 2013 with another win.

Supernatural Nudge

Last month, I received notification about a Klout perk that Sony wanted to send to me, a Walkman headset MP3 player for fitness enthusiasts. It was almost eerie given the direct connection I had made between having an mp3 player and being able to renew my workouts. How much clearer could it be that I needed to stop making excuses and get back on the bike?

Except now I had an excuse for a few more weeks because the player didn’t ship right away.

All excuses are finally behind me. I received my Walkman on Wednesday. I spent that evening processing the gift, and last night publishing my Walkman review. This morning, I woke and rode the stationary bike better known as “the Beast” before drinking my morning coffee. Oh yes, I feel great!

What About You?

Have you been waiting for a nudge to get back on track with your fitness goals? Consider me your kick in the butt. Let’s dust off the winter cobwebs and start chasing a slimmer summer wardrobe.

If there is anything at all you feel holding you back, please comment on it below. I know I told someone a months ago that I needed an mp3 player to inspire my bike workouts and BOOM! one showed up just in time. I believe your statements are key to your manifestations, so feel free to sound off with your need.

Gratitude

Thanks to Sony for the promotion. Thanks to Klout for including me. Thanks to Ben Lee for providing the soundtrack. And thanks to you for reading. Cheers!

Disclosure: Sony sent me this mp3 player via the Klout Perks program because I have been assessed an “influencer” by Klout. I am under no obligation to write about this device. I am not competing to win another prize.

Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to my blog, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.

You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter or like Where to Buy Quinoa on Facebook.

Once again I find myself rolling up my myth-busting sleeves and tackling misinformation about my favorite seed. This meme claims that quinoa has more calcium than milk.

Make Mine Coconut Milk

As it happens, I quit drinking cow’s milk shortly after this Twitter conversation began last April. I had my concerns with milk and its added growth hormones, and then last spring, when I was tracking my meals and trying to consume all the calcium recommended, I broke out in terrible acne. I have suffered with acne many times over the years when following a “healthy” diet, but this time I came across a suggestion that dairy milk might cause my breakouts.

Dairy milk seemed a likely culprit because whenever I am tracking my meals, I tend to drink more milk than usual in order meet my calcium “needs.” I have since cut back on my milk drinking and replaced dairy milk with almond and coconut milks, and the acne has completely disappeared.

Let’s Be Honest About Quinoa Calcium

So I am not saying you should drink more milk and eat less quinoa, not at all.

I just think that facts matter, especially when you are giving people advice about their diets.

When it comes to quinoa having more calcium than milk, nothing could be further from the truth. Milk not only has more calcium, it has nearly ten times more. You would have to eat about nine cups of cooked quinoa to get the same amount of calcium in a cup of milk.

I worry that a nutritionist will tell a woman she needs at least three servings of dairy and a leafy vegetable or broccoli each day to get a good minimum dose of calcium to combat osteoporosis. This woman will then go online and read that quinoa has more calcium than milk. So she will figure she can replace milk with quinoa at every meal and still meet that minimum goal. However, unless she is eating obscene amounts of quinoa–literally pounds of it every day–she cannot get an adequate daily dose of calcium from this seed.

How Far Can They Stretch the Myth?

What really broils my roaster is that some sites ranking high in this meme claim that one cup of quinoa has more calcium than a quart of milk. A QUART!

Keep in mind, one cup of cooked quinoa has 31 milligrams of calcium while a quart of milk boasts 1112 milligrams.

Wow, I must admit, I get fired up about people circulating that kind of BULL-oney, when the facts are so easily checked at the USDA or on the packages of food at your supermarket. When it comes to calcium, misinformation today can lead to bone fractures later in life. If you come across anyone hocking this fiction, I hope you seek counsel elsewhere.

Looking for Calcium in All the Real Places

Personally, I am still looking for all the natural sources of calcium I can find, just like a lot of other women and men who care about their health and making good food choices.  I understand the importance of weight-bearing exercise and eating a balanced diet for building and maintaining strong bones today for my best quality of life tomorrow.

I know quinoa is not an exceptional source for calcium, and that is okay with me. It still has plenty of nutritional benefits to ensure its place beside calcium-rich veggies at my table. No one needs to invent reasons to inflate this seed’s value in my mind, that’s for sure.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite go-to source for calcium in your diet? Share your thoughts in the comments. And please join me in correcting anyone who tries to tell you quinoa has more calcium than milk.

Two years ago today, I launched this blog with a dream of helping spread the word about quinoa and the myriad ways it could be prepared. I thought I would honor the occasion by sharing a new recipe.

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on a package of frozen collard greens when I lived in Hawaii in the 1990′s. Needless to say, that version did not include quinoa or kale.

I am not a huge ham eater, but I do love pea soup, and I need a ham bone to make a decent pea soup. A few times each year, I buy a smoked picnic ham, serve a variety of meals I have accumulated to expedite consumption of the ham over the next few days, and then cap it off with an enormous pot of pea soup.

Ham Again?

The trick to getting your family to keep eating a ham for several days is to make each dish different. Even ham and potato casserole seems a lot like macaroni and cheese with ham if you are not sufficiently creative.

That’s why I was so excited when I originally found this recipe for a ham and rice dish featuring collard greens. This was unlike any other meal currently in the family rotation and tasty to boot.

Of course, flash forward eighteen years, and I am all about the quinoa rather than white rice. I never see frozen, chopped collard queens at my usual grocer, but I could have chosen fresh collard greens in the produce department. In the end, I opted for kale this week because it was priced lower per bunch and is more versatile in my kitchen. Collards take a long time to cook compared to other greens, up to forty-five minutes, whereas I can saute kale in three minutes.

Ham and Kale Quinoa Pilaf

Serves 4

• 2 cups cooked ham, cubed
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1.75 cups water
• 1 sodium free chicken bouillon packet
• salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
• 3-4 cups roughly chopped kale

optional additions:

• 1 ounce cheese (I used a slice of Swiss)
• 1/2 cup onions or celery

Once you have everything cut up, you can cook this in one pot. Be sure you remove the thick stems from your kale before chopping.

Combine ham, quinoa, water, bouillon, seasonings in large saucepan. Top with kale.

Bring to boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer fifteen minutes.

Remove from heat without opening cover and let stand five minutes.

Stir and let stand covered a few more minutes if all liquid is not yet absorbed.

Add cheese if desired. Crunchy celery or onions can add texture to the final dish as well.

Freeze Ham for Later Use

Remember, if you cook a big ham and no one wants to eat it all now, you can freeze two-cup portions in freezer bags that store flat and thaw quickly when needed for recipes like this one.

What do you think? Is this a recipe your family would enjoy? Let me know in the comments below.

Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to my blog, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.

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There is a new brand of quinoa in town, or at least, there will be soon. O.A. Quinoa, a division of O.A. Foods, is bringing its premium, Bolivian quinoa to the US in August. (NOTE: Launch has been pushed off to September.)

Last month, O.A. Quinoa sent me a half pound of white quinoa to try, claiming its quinoa is “33% bigger, tastier and has more nutritional values.”

Is O.A. Quinoa bigger?

Looking at the seeds I received, I could see that the quinoa seeds appeared much larger and more uniform in size than other brands I am accustomed to using. I thought it would be a little more scientific to count the seeds in a quarter teaspoon of three brands of quinoa I had on hand to see how they measured up to one another.

Honestly, though, now that I think about it, I am not sure how scientific this experiment is because I only scooped from the top of each container. Heavier seeds may have settled to the bottom of the containers holding the seeds. Still, I think you can see what I mean about the larger size and greater uniformity of the O.A. Quinoa in the photos.

I counted 103 seeds in a quarter teaspoon of O.A. Quinoa. As you can see, the seeds all appear to be about the same size.

I counted 174 seeds in the sample I took from a bag of bulk quinoa I purchased at Whole Foods. In the upper right quadrant you can see two gray granules that were definitely not seeds. Please remember to rinse any products you buy from bulk bins because they are easily contaminated.

I counted a grand total of 254 seeds in the sample I took from a Nature’s Earthly Choice package of quinoa. Some of these seeds were so tiny, I was not even sure whether they were seeds or just pieces of seeds. My reading glasses are not strong enough for me to tell–perhaps twenty or so  granules that I counted were not really seeds.

Is O.A. Quinoa Tastier?

I was very pleased with the way these seeds cooked up. The cooked quinoa was much much drier than regular quinoa. The granules didn’t stick together the way other brands do, and of course, they were much larger than usual. If you are looking for a premium seed, I think this brand would suit well.

I didn’t notice that the taste was different, but I didn’t actually do a side-by-side taste test with any other brands.

Is O.A. Quinoa More Nutritious?

Every variety of quinoa has its own nutritional profile. Here is how O.A. Quinoa’s nutritional profile compares to that on the Nature’s Earthly Choice package:

The packages do not list the same vitamins and minerals, so it is not possible to compare these nutrients. Two nutrient values worth mentioning from the O.A. Quinoa package are riboflavin (50% of daily value) and phosphorus (23% of daily value).

Overall, I was very pleased with the quinoa I received from O.A. Quinoa. I am eager to see when their quinoa becomes available whether I will find it in local stores or will have to order it online.

Have you tried O.A. Quinoa? I would love to hear what you thought of it in the comments.

Full Disclosure: O.A. Quinoa sent me a free sample to review. In addition, O.A. Quinoa is one of my freelance writing clients.

Let’s be honest, quinoa needs a little help. Like pasta and rice, quinoa tastes boring all by itself. Fortunately, quinoa takes on the flavor of whatever you add to it, making it one of the most versatile ingredients in a salad, pilaf, or porridge.

Because many people choose quinoa as a high-protein, high-fiber carbohydrate when they seek to limit calories, they usually do not want to simply recycle the same high-calorie sauces on their quinoa that they eat with their rice and pasta. Every day, I see someone new asking Twitter for ways to make their quinoa taste more exciting.

Add More Flavor to Quinoa Without a Ton of Extra Calories

Today, Alyson Marie asked, I’ve tried making quinoa 3 times now and failed…what do u add to it for more flavor n not a ton of xtra cals?

My short answer:

@alymarie0485 Add salsa, hot sauce, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, or cook with broth. Salad ideas: bit.ly/zIT7gV

— Tammi Kibler (@Keenonquinoa) June 8, 2012

Twitter never gives me all the space I need for a long answer, but for those looking for more flavor in their quinoa bowls, here goes:

Quinoa Needs Salt

I try to limit salt as a general rule. Hypertension runs in my family, and most Americans are consuming a whole day’s worth of salt in a single restaurant meal.

That said, a little salt makes food taste better, and sometimes we end up adding a lot more calories to our dishes simply because we skimped on the plain salt. If you add a lot of salted butter to your mashed potatoes, for example, you might find that by adding a little more salt, you would achieve the flavor you seek with less butter.

I recommend adding a little salt when cooking quinoa unless you know you will be adding other ingredients that will contain enough salt for your palate. How much? Well, that’s a matter of taste. I usually add one-eighth teaspoon of salt when cooking one and a half cups of dry quinoa.

Other ideas for adding salt: soy sauce, salsa, or prepare your quinoa with seasoned broth

Quinoa Loves Pepper

About the same time I realized that skimping on salt was adding calories to my dishes, I also learned that a little cayenne pepper acts just like salt in making dishes irresistibly tasty. I have read that some people cannot tolerate pepper, but for the rest of us, pepper is a great way to boost flavor without adding extra calories.

You may need to experiment to find your favorite pepper and the right heat for your palate. I like cayenne as I mentioned, my son loves chili powder, but most restaurants only offer black pepper on the table.

By the way, white pepper is great for keeping white sauces and eggs from turning grey. I keep a bottle on hand for deviled eggs.

Other ideas for adding pepper: your favorite hot sauce, like Tabasco or sriracha sauce

Vinegar Adds Bite

Flavored vinegars are one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts. I fell in love with rice vinegar the first time I cooked quinoa, and now it features in many of my quinoa salads.

I also love balsamic vinegar–the commercial grade product, not the traditional balsamic vinegar that takes twelve years to age. Which I am sure I would love, but I cannot afford.

Even if you do not have a fancy, flavored vinegar, a dash of regular, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can add a burst of flavor to an otherwise lackluster quinoa bowl, so do not be afraid to give it a try.

Citrus Livens Quinoa

I’m not sure exactly sure why, but fresh-squeezed citrus makes any food, including quinoa, taste more alive. It’s a shot of freshness that adds pep, flavor, and vitamin C to the meal.

Lemons and limes add all this flavor without adding calories. You have to be a little more careful with oranges and grapefruits to be sure you do not go overboard with the sugars and calories. But when you compare the burst of flavor you get from a tablespoon of orange juice to the measly 15 calories it contains, you may find, as I often do, that there is room in your quinoa for a little orange juice when you do not have any other fresh citrus on hand.

Quinoa Plays Well with Veggies

Take a look at the vegetables in your produce bin. Onions, garlic, celery, and bell peppers are fantastic flavor boosters. Grated carrots and chopped tomatoes add color too. Fresh herbs are great, but even some chopped kale or spinach can substitute in a pinch.

If you like your veggies soft, you can cook them in the quinoa. Or you can saute them separately while the quinoa is cooking. Or simply stir in some fresh veggies when your quinoa is done cooking. Whatever works for you.

We didn’t even get to spices today, come to think of it. Cinnamon, ginger root, rosemary, and thyme are all good candidates for kicking up your quinoa flavor without adding extra calories.

What about you? Do you have any suggestions to add more flavor to quinoa without a ton of extra calories? Please share your favorite quinoa boosters in the comments.

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Responses to Add More Flavor to Quinoa Without a Ton of Extra Calories on Twitter:

@Keenonquinoa cinnamon! I love it!

— Melissa Anderson (@wellness_touch) June 9, 2012

I love this video of quinoa growing in the Andes mountains. The folks over at FAIR. filmed this on a recent trip to Bolivia. I’m so envious. I hope someday I have an opportunity to go to South America and meet the independent farmers who grow quinoa.

Oh well, this video provides stunning views of the quinoa that will have to satisfy me for now.

FAIR. makes an award-winning fair-trade certified quinoa vodka that I have yet to try because I don’t drink alcohol anymore. I have to admit though, I was looking at these ice pops today and thinking that on a hot day they could probably pull me off the wagon.

If I made them with quinoa vodka, of course, I could call it research.

What do you think of that quinoa video? Wouldn’t you love to grow a quinoa patch in your front yard?

Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to my blog, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.

You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter or like Where to Buy Quinoa on Facebook.

I think I mentioned this dish a few weeks ago. I am mildly obsessed. I have already prepared it three times, and we all love it. I found this Sesame Garlic Chicken recipe on the Semi-Sweet Online blog when I followed a link in a tweet from @semisweetonline.

It’s my new favorite recipe.

Tahini Sauce

Perhaps I should say that the tahini sauce is my new favorite recipe. It’s a key ingredient in the Triple K Quinoa slaw I now make every week as well. I am beginning to think I can add tahini sauce to just about anything to make it irresistible.

Kale

I replaced the spinach with kale because I like the sweetness and volume of kale. Of course, nothing beats spinach for convenience. When I made this Sesame Garlic Chicken with spinach, one pound was sufficient, in my opinion.

Grated Zucchini

I like to add grated zucchini to the quinoa in this dish. I think it looks even more appetizing, and I am always seeking ways to add another vegetable to my plate. I cut back the water by a half cup when I add squash so the quinoa is able to absorb any water given up by the squash.

For those who count carbs, adding a cup of grated veggies to quinoa is one way to cut back on the carbs in a serving without changing the serving size.

Chicken Strips

I cut the chicken breast in strips because the packaged chicken breasts at my grocer average over eight ounces each. I pack about 1.8 pounds of chicken into my 8′ square pan, and it takes thirty minutes to cook. If the strips were spread out on a larger pan, it would only take about twenty minutes for the chicken to cook. That would change the timeline a bit and require prepping all veggies ahead of time.

This is so pretty on the plate; I cannot recommend it enough. The first time you make it, you might want to prep your quinoa saucepan and kale before you start the chicken, so everything goes smoothly. That’s what I did the night Mom came to dinner, and we enjoyed a low stress, tasty, and beautiful family meal.

Sesame Garlic Chicken Over Zucchini Quinoa

serves 4

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1-1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 low-sodium chicken bouillon packet
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 small zucchini squash
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 6 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
• Tahini Dressing

Tahini Dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
• 1 tablespoon apple juice

Prepare the Tahini dressing and set out at room temperature.

Heat a skillet and toast the sesame seeds until browned, about 3 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the chicken into strips approximately 3-4 ounces each. Cut a small slit in the top of each strip, without cutting all the way through the chicken. Chop the garlic cloves and stuff the chicken strips with chopped garlic.

Arrange chicken in 8″ x 8″ baking dish, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and place in preheated oven.

Set timer for 30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear. Add quinoa to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water and the chicken bouillon. Turn up the heat under the quinoa when you have 20 minutes left on the timer. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is ready.

While quinoa and chicken are cooking, clean the kale, cut out the hard spines, and chop to bite-size pieces. Place in a steamer basket in saucepan with ¼ inch of water. Turn up the heat under the kale when the countdown timer is at five minutes. Allow to boil one minute then remove from heat but keep covered.

Wash a zucchini and cut off each end. Grate the whole zucchini, including the skin, using a cheese grater. Chop the peanuts.

When the chicken is ready, remove it from the oven. Stir the zucchini and peanuts into the cooked quinoa. Mound a portion of quinoa in the center of a dinner plate. Arrange the kale around the quinoa. Drizzle with tahini sauce, then place a serving of chicken on the quinoa.

Serve Sesame Garlic Chicken Over Zucchini Quinoa with the rest of the tahini sauce available for those who find themselves addicted to this sauce. Or hide the tahini sauce in the back of the fridge for clandestine finger vegetable dipping tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to my blog, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.

You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter or like Where to Buy Quinoa on Facebook.

Sometimes, I get discouraged. My body doesn’t work like it used to. I don’t recover from injuries as quickly as I once did. After forty-six years, Time has left its marks on me.

It used to be easier. I could set a goal, put on some walking shoes, and start working toward it.

If my body rebelled, I could push harder.

I was healthy.

I was young.

If I got injured, a few days or weeks of rest and I would be back at it again.

1987

Way back when, I worked at a company where we started a pool to see who could lose 8 percent of their body weight in ten weeks. I started walking a five mile route around my neighborhood every night after work. I even walked in the Project Bread Walk for Hunger. After ten weeks, I had shed the 8 percent, and I split the pool with a co-worker.

I felt so strong; I decided I could be a soldier.

I joined the army and learn how to push myself harder than I ever had.

2009

Three years ago, when a coworker was diagnosed with breast cancer, I strapped on my trainers again and started walking every day to get in shape for the Susan G. Komen Three Day.

I lost about 24 pounds over the next six months or so.

Then I gained it all back with eight more pounds added for good measure. Worse than that, I have this nagging injury in my foot and an ingrown toenail that preclude the old “walk away the pounds” solution that has worked so well in the past.

What If It’s Too Late?

I was thinking the other day that maybe I’m crazy to think I can make myself over at my age. Maybe I’m just too far gone. Maybe I’ll never break this cycle where I lose and gain the same weight time and again.

Then I saw a link to an incredible video in @JasonEscape’s Twitter stream.

Please take four minutes and watch this. You’ll understand why all my excuses are gone. Maybe it will blast away a few of your own doubts.

This video left me with a burning desire to see myself through to the attainment of my goal.

Quinoa Diet Update

Today is day 95. I have lost 20 pounds and 3 ½ inches around my waist, and I am committed to going the distance.

How about you?

I am now nearly ten weeks into my quinoa diet. I have lost fifteen pounds and two inches around my waist. More importantly, I have established new routines that will help me maintain my weight loss. Of those routines, I believe my morning fitness commitment to be the most effective strategy for improving my health and well being while also establishing a habit that will keep me on track.

For this, I am ever grateful for the Beast. This stationary bicycle was dropped off next to our building’s dumpster over a year ago. Perfect shape, works well, very little noise. It even has a computer that tracks my time, speed, distance, and calories burned. I started using it a month into my diet, and I now look forward to my morning rides.

Establishing a Fitness Habit

In The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (affiliate link) I read of the importance of establishing a fitness routine in a way that rewards me enough to reinforce the pattern. Withholding my coffee until I have completed my workout has had that effect. Now I look forward to the rush of endorphins as is its own reward. Some mornings, the cold water I drink after my workout satisfies me, and I forget about coffee for hours.

To keep things in balance, I take off Saturdays to let those muscles rest and recuperate.

To keep it fun and motivational, I listen to Ben Lee’s Awake Is the New Sleep album (affiliate link) while pedaling. This week, I am riding for the duration of the first seven songs, a little over twenty-five minutes. On my last ride, the bike’s computer said I logged over 5.5 miles.

Upper Body

The stationary bicycle rides strengthen my legs and tighten my torso, but they do nothing for my arms. For upper body strengthening, I have been doing this dumbbell routine three times a week for about seven or eight weeks. I just started a pushup regimen, as well.

Actually, the pushups kicked my butt. I did the exhaustion test on Sunday and the first pushup workout on Tuesday. I followed the pushups with my usual upper body routine. It was the first time that two sets resulted in muscle failure for me.

Oops, I overdid it.

The next day, I woke up with my shoulders and upper back in agony. I lay in bed and promised myself that I could take a day off from my bike ride. The point has never been to overdo.

Then I started thinking about how wonderful I would feel after a ride. It didn’t seem fair to deprive myself of that experience. I wondered if my back would feel better with all those endorphins pumping through my muscles. At any rate, it was difficult to imagine I would feel any worse. So, I climbed on the Beast and pumped out twenty-five minutes.

I felt a little better for a couple hours, but I was sore most of the day. I have resolved to go easier on my upper body workouts and do only the pushup routine for a few weeks, at least until I feel I have established a comfortable workout and can increase the challenge.

What about you? Do you have a fitness habit? I would love to hear your secrets for sticking to your fitness commitments.

Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to my blog, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.

You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter or like Where to Buy Quinoa on Facebook.

I made a kohlrabi slaw the other day, and it was so good I now dream about it. Seriously. I cannot stop thinking about this salad, and I plan to bring it to any cookouts I attend this summer. Triple K–because of course I could not call it KKK–is for the kale, kiwi fruit, and kohlrabi. I tried making up a name using some or all of the ingredients but it sounded like the title of a picture book or first line of a nursery rhyme.

Quinoa, kohlrabi and kale
Saw little kiwis on sale.
They said, “In a pinch,
Tahini’s a cinch
To make this new salad prevail.”

Kohlrabi

I scored several kohlrabi bulbs on markdown in the produce department last week. After I sated myself on raw kohlrabi chips, I was poking around in the depths of my brain for something new I could try. I didn’t feel like heating the oven to roast the kohlrabi–Did you hear how hot it was in Massachusetts last week? I don’t know why I thought to shred it instead, but I am so glad I did because I love this as a moist base for a salad.

In fact, I went on to shred summer squash into a quinoa pilaf later in the week, and that was also a hit. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Tahini Sauce

I had seen a recipe on Semi-Sweet Online for Sesame Garlic Chicken, Spinach With Tahini Sauce and Roasted Peanut Quinoa that I was planning to make later in the week. I decided to try the tahini sauce from that recipe as a dressing for the Triple K Quinoa.

What a great idea! If I do say so myself.

I made my salad with hot quinoa and raw kale. You might prefer to steam the kale a bit before adding to the salad or substitute raw spinach instead. Just don’t cook the color out of the kale. You could, of course, use cool quinoa if you have some leftover quinoa begging to come out and play with your veggies.

Kiwi Fruit

My grocer had some small kiwis on sale last week. Six fruits for $1.29. Good deal, but they were tiny. I used one kiwi fruit per serving, but if you have larger fruits you would probably only need two or three for the whole salad. I recommend combining all the ingredients except the kiwi fruit and refrigerating the salad for at least an hour. Add the kiwi right before serving or arrange it separately from the slaw as in the photos, otherwise the fruit will give up its water and make the salad soupy.

I think you could substitute strawberries for the kiwi, and the red would look stunning against the green, but the kiwis tasted perfect with this salad, and I was not inclined to test a substitution.

By the way, if you think the word tahini might put off the less adventurous members of your family, I wouldn’t even mention it. The flavor is very mild, and few will know what it is that tastes so good.

Triple K Quinoa with Tahini

serves four

• 1 cup grated kohlrabi (about 2 medium bulbs)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups chopped kale
• ¼ cup frozen edamame, cooked
• Tahini dressing
• 4 small kiwi fruits

Tahini Dressing for Triple K Quinoa

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
• 1 tablespoon apple juice

1. If you do not have quinoa already cooked, cook ⅔ cup rinsed quinoa in 1⅓ cups water for 15 minutes.

2. If you do not care for raw kale, steam it for 2-3 minutes.

3. Cook the edamame according to package instructions.

4. Remove greens and root end of kohlrabi. Pare off the kohlrabi skin. Here’s a good video demonstration of how you can peel a kohlrabi, though his pronunciation of kohlrabi makes me wince a bit.

5. Grate the pared kohlrabi on a cheese grater.

6. Whisk together dressing ingredients.

7. Combine kohlrabi, quinoa, kale, edamame, and dressing.

8. Place in refrigerator for at least an hour.

9. Garnish with peeled and chopped kiwi fruit when serving.

Quick Quinoa Diet Update

I weighed myself this morning, and I have lost another two pounds. This sugar experiment is exactly what I needed to kick start some more weight loss.

What about you? Do you love kohlrabi? Is Triple K Quinoa a salad you would try at your house? Talk to me in the comments.

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