Cooking with quinoa: 5 meals for the week

Bored of your everyday cooking and ready to spice up your dinner and try something different? Try adding quinoa to each of your meals.

While this superfood is technically a seed, it's considered a whole grain and can be prepared as one. Quinoa can be used as both a side dish and as a main course for a variety of different meals mixed with meat, fruits and veggies. You can put it in salad or soup, mix it in a stir fry, or just use it instead of rice.

While brown rice has its own nutritional benefits, quinoa can be an even healthier alternative. It contains about twice as much protein, has more fiber, and higher amounts of magnesium and iron than brown rice does. This makes this superfood, which is both cholesterol-free and gluten-free, better for your heart and bone health.

Vegetarians might find this ancient grain especially useful to cook with as it is an excellent source of protein. It contains all of the nine essential amino acids the body needs, which makes it a complete protein.

There are many ways to cook with quinoa that will leave you feeling both satisfied and healthy! Here are five ideas for dinner while using quinoa to get you through the week:

Monday: Quinoa and smoked tofu salad

This recipe only takes a total of 35 minute to prepare and serve! It's filled with heart-healthy ingredients, and makes six servings, with each serving under 230 calories. In addition to quinoa, this recipe calls for smoked tofu, yellow bell peppers, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers as the main ingredients.

Per serving: 228 calories; 10g fat, 26g carbohydrates, 9g protein, 4g fiber

Check out the full recipe from eatingwell.com here >

Tuesday: Quinoa stir-fry with vegetables and chicken

You can't go wrong with this recipe that includes vegetables, chicken and eggs, with some oriental flavor. This simple recipe is packed with protein at just 254 calories per serving.

Per serving: 254 calories; 7.8g fat, 30g carbohydrates, 17g protein, 4g fiber

Check out the full recipe from SELF.com here >

Wednesday: Quinoa cakes with smoked salmon

If you're in the mood for some fish this is a great option. Although it takes almost 2 hours to have ready, the end product is worth it! With quinoa and eggs as the main ingredients, this recipe is another tasty, low-calorie meal.

Per cake with 1 1/2 tsp. of sour cream: 51 calories; 3g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 3g protein, 0g fiber

Check out the full recipe from eatingwell.com here >

Thursday: Slow-cooker braised pork with salsa

This recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, but makes a great meal with pork served over quinoa. With just a few ingredients, including quinoa, pork and tomatoes, this dish is a great source of protein and full of flavor!

Per serving: 252 calories; 4g fat, 7g carbohydrates, 50g protein, 1g fiber

Check out the full recipe from the Fitness Magazine here >

Friday: Quinoa vegetable paella

This is a great meal for vegetarians or vegans. Tomatoes, artichokes, zucchinis, and peas are just some of the healthy ingredients in this recipe. In just 50 minutes you can have a tasty dinner for under 300 calories per serving.

Per serving: 288 calories; 3g fat, 55g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 10g fiber

Check out the full recipe from the Fat-Free Vegan Blog here >