How did I not know about this fantastic little food before? A complete protein, easy to cook, tasty, and can be mixed in with pretty much any meal, whether it's stir-fry or just a substitute for rice. I can already see that I'm going to be making a big batch of it every week and using it with almost every meal.

Do you guys have recommendations for other unusual foods that have changed the way you eat, or have helped you with boredom on a diet? I was getting so, so tired of sweet potatoes (I KNOW!) and desperately needed something else to have for dinner during the week. Quinoa seems to be the answer, but I know in a couple of months, I'll be ready for another change.

What is Quinoa?

I really dont have any 'surprise' foods but I was thinking about foods I have really enjoyed lately that I didn't think I would.

The other night we broiled turkey pepperoni slices and put slices of stick cheese on them...they were awesome! I saw in one of the recipes about getting candian bacon and adding the pepperoni's and cheese to those like a little pizza..I think I will do that next time.

another fun thing I have found is the Ricotta cheese dessert thingy..I used to have this years ago when I did SB the first time, but since doing it this time I have found out things like....there is more then just almond or vanilla extracts! The other night I did the ricotta cheese with some cocoa powder and ORANGE extract...it tasted just like those big chocolate oranges you can get...so yum!

(sorry if I highjacked your thread...altho would like to know what Quinoa is )

I love Quinoa, but it's still a carby food. Is it allowed in SBD? I did not know that. It's a sort of trigger food for me so I avoid it and limit it to once every few weeks. I do love it though! And you can really get creative with flavoring it. I'm partial to a little garlic salt.

All protein? I thought very carby.

Oh and my biggest surprise food, appropriate to SBD, is fried cabbage! Yummy! I use fried cabbage instead of noodles and rice. It's fantastic with shredded salsa chicken. (Put chicken in a crockpot, sprinkle with taco seasoning, cover with a jar of salsa and cook all day. Can be done on the stove too.)

Eliana...is fried cabbage just cabbage and olive oil?

What surprised me is how much more I like vegetables roasted. I will even eat cooked carrots that way now, with a little sf maple syrup on them, and I used to hate cooked carrots. Green bean fries are my favorite and I probably eat them most every day of the week.

Here is an old thread on quinoa

Quinoa is a carb, but it is also a complete protein. The only non-animal source of all essential amino acids, I believe!

It is definitely a P2 food, but it is also definitely SBD friendly - more so than most grains. It is really low on the GI scale, and it is gluten and wheat free, so great for folks with intolerances to those things.

Basically, it's a seed that you cook like a grain (a bit like rice).

I like beans more than what I would have thought before South Beach. Also love the cabbage in the crack slaw recipe. I had never tried roasting vegetables before SB and now we have them several times a week.

Love quinoa, but also cracked wheat...

put some in a bowl and cover barely with boiling water and cover the bowl and let sit for couple of hours till the water is absorbed (squeeze in a towel if all the water doesn't absorb) , then add all kinds of veggies and seasonings, herbs, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, olives and olive oil/vinegar dressings ..adding summer vegs such as squash and raw zucs is great too ...maybe a little feta or parm and keep in the fridge for a summer salad..yum.

I made something similar with some cooked quinoa the other day, Cat. I do it with ww bulgar too. Didn't think of the feta though - good idea.

Yep. I just shred it and then stir-fry it in a little olive/canola oil. (I've heard canola is better for cooking...I learned that on Dr. Oz, but he didn't say why.) I cook mine until I start to see brown on a couple pieces. You do NOT want to actually brown it.

Alton Brown on the show "Good Eats" boils his with a little sugar for two minutes first and then fries it. I skip that step and I don't notice a difference.

Oooh, Cat, that sounds amazing for lunch during the summer! I don't love lettuce very much, so having an alternative is important for me.

Do you eat hummus?
I eat a lot of it now and really love the stuff. My favorite ways to eat hummus are:

* as a dip for vegetables and/or ww crackers
* mixed with a warm hard boiled egg for breakfast
* on a salad (I use it instead of salad dressing, my dh uses dressing too)
* in sandwiches and veggie wraps

I've made my own and liked that, but usually I'm lazy and just pick mine up at the grocery store. So far I haven't found a flavor I didn't like.