Oven-Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Packed with Quinoa, Veggies, and topped with Goat Feta

This week at Chews Healthy, I decided to try something different, something I have never made before. I had originally had this dish at a friend's place last week at a small diner party, and to say the least I was quite impressed by the flavours from this entrée. The flavours in this dish are robust and savoury,  and is packed with proteins and vitamins.To top it all off, it is sprinkled with goat feta cheese, what's not to love, seriously!

Goat cheese is  higher in calcium, and lower in fat and calories in comparison to it's cow counterpart. "Goat cheese clocks in at eighty calories and six grams of fat per ounce, compared to cow's milk cheese, which generally has around 100 calories and 10 g of fat per ounce. This means goat cheese is the better choice for staying fit and thin." (Fromagerie Belle Chèvre. 2013)

Anyways, enough about the facts and more about the making and eating. Let's get started!

Zesty & Spicy Mexican Quinoa Salad

This week at Chews Healthy, we will be making a vegan friendly Mexican inspired Quinoa Salad. This salad is great served up with any main dish, such as grilled chicken breasts. Not to mention that it tastes even better the next day while it sits in your fridge, this allows all of the flavours to become infused together. This salad is enriched high levels of protein and has a small kick of spice for those who love the heat.

For those who do not know about quinoa, it is an ancient, gluten-free grain, which was "...originated in the Andeanregion of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, where it was successfully domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago".[1] Quinoa can be used in a large variety of dishes from salads, to breakfast to dinner, it can be used anytime of day and is a great replacement for dishes that require a rice side dish. "One of the best reasons to enjoy quinoa is because it has a high-protein content, which makes it a great cholesterol-free and low-fat source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. According to the USDA nutrient database, 1 cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) contains 8.14 grams of protein. To put that in reference, the recommended daily protein intake is about 56 grams for most men and 46 for most women." [2]

This recipe is the easiest to recreate to date on Chews Healthy, so let's get started!