Fitness Friday #2/3: Avocado stuffed with quinoa salad
11 Comments | Written on March 2, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni
Fitness Friday is back! This week I have combined week 2 and 3 because last Thursday night my computer decided to go to the big Mac Store in the sky. It was a sad day when I had to lay it to rest, but I am now the proud owner of a new laptop!
As I round out the second week of training for the More/Fitness Half Marathon I am beginning to realize this might be harder than I anticipated. So far the runs aren’t very long (yippee!) but it has been a struggle to find the time each day to get in the training. It is especially hard when I am traveling. Any advice would be much appreciated. I am still in the early stages of this journey and I definitely need your support!
The “Fitness Friday” recipe this week also comes from my travels in Peru. When a salad is this good, it doesn’t feel like health food!
Quinoa Stuffed Avocado (click here to view and print recipe)
2 cups tri-color quinoa, cooked
1/4 cup red onion, small dice
1/2 cup cucumber, small dice
1/2 cup tomatoes, small dice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 avocados, halved and pitted
Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Cut each avocado in half and gently scoop out of the shell, keeping it intact. Scoop the quinoa salad into the center of each avocado. Serve immediately.
Quinoa is a staple of Peruvian cuisine. It also just happens to be very “in vogue” right now! This ancient grain is packed with protein and is gluten-free. It is actually closely related to species like beets or spinach! We enjoyed quinoa at just about every meal in Peru, and I never got tired of it. This salad was one of my favorites. I chose to make it with “rainbow” quinoa for color, but you can prepare it with your favorite.
Quinoa comes in many different colors and forms. Black, white, red, or rainbow. It also comes in flakes (to prepare like oatmeal), or even made into your favorite shapes of pasta! Whole Foods carries many different options and varieties.
As I continue on this journey to the Half Marathon in April, I have to remind myself sometimes you have to open the door to something new in order to grow and discover. And sometimes you just have to open the front door and go out for a run…
Once again, I wanted to share a little inspirational quote to take with you through the weekend. I’m not going to beat myself up for missing a few workouts this week, instead I will persevere and look forward to the success that my come tomorrow!
“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You may have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.” Helen Keller
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11 Responses to “Fitness Friday #2/3: Avocado stuffed with quinoa salad”
Nutritional info??
Such a creative way to use healthy avocados
I love avocados and I love quinoa. What a great marriage you have created here. I have new, organic avocados from the farmers market…this is going on the meal plan this week! Thanks for a great recipe, Kristina!
Woohoo! I am very excited for future “Fitness Friday” posts.
Wow!!! This sounds great, and I will try it this week!! I am looking for more and more yummy ways to eat meatless and still get the protein!! Thanks for the great idea!!
[...] I think for dinner we are having Avocados Stuffed with Quinoa Salad and something else. What that something else is, I’m not entirely certain yet. Filed under [...]
i don’t know who sent me this e/mail, but i enjoyed every word and will certainly try the avacado salad soon. thank u.
Kristina, I have run 7 full marathons and many more half marathons as well. My advice to you is to set your alarm for enough time each morning to get your training in. Weather will be cooler and you can never say I can’t fit it in today. Besides, most races are run first thing in the morning, got to get used to it!
Kristina: I loved your post & this recipe! Many thanks for my smile today. Pat
Kristina, for me the workout comes first. I don’t care if I am home or I am on the road. If I am driving on a long trip I will pull the car over in a good spot and get my run in. If I am in a hotel I will either find time to run in the evening or in the morning. Most hotel’s have treadmills. You can always find time.
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