Recipe of the Week: Greek Quinoa Salad

What's better than a fresh, flavorful salad in the Spring? A super-refreshing one that isn't the same ole' bowl of lettuce. This quinoa salad that I adapted from the Two Peas and Their Pod is bursting with bright, Greek-style flavors from all the fresh produce and creamy feta cheese. (And you guys know how good the Mediterranean Diet is for you, right?) Enjoy as a side with chicken or fish or enjoy a big bowl all on its own for a light, yet hearty lunch.

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:

2 cups water1 cup quinoaPinch of salt1 cup grape tomatoes, halved1 cup chopped cucumber1/2 cup chopped celery1/2 cup sliced carrots1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved1/4 cup diced red onion1/3 cup feta cheese1/3 cup chopped walnuts1 small avocado, dicedSalt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil3 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 teaspoon dried oregano1 tsp lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let quinoa cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, carrots, kalamata olives, red onion, walnuts, avocado and feta cheese.

3. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano and lemon zest in a small bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and stir until mixed well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serves 6.

RELATED LINKS:

Image Credit: Courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod

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64 years

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Sarah Jessica Parker at the Tiffany & Co Blue Book ball

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sleeping problems

Hi calorie counters, 

so recently my sleeping issues have gotten worse than usual. in the past few months i tend to stay awake till about 12 or 1 and even when i try going to sleep, it takes me half an hour to actually fall asleep and some nights i need to take half a sleeping pill (mercyndol) to fall asleep. im only 17, i don't think that at my age i should be taking something to fall asleep 

i think it was because during the holidays i had a lot of late nights and sleep-ins, but its been a while since then and i just can't get back into the swing of school, its bad as well cos instead of going to some of my early classes at 7:30 i just sleep instead :/ 

so in a nutshell this is getting in the way of my exercise, study and overall well-being, anyone know some techniques i can use to help my sleeps? 

much appreciated, msabulis

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Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr at the Iron Man 3 premiere in London

Erm… Why? Proving once more that the line between the real Robert Downey JR and his showboating superhero alter-ego Tony Stark is blurring more and more each day, we snapped the star indulging in a serious snog-fest with his wife, producer Susan Downey, at the Iron Man 3 premiere in London yesterday. The event was originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday, but was pushed back to Thursday in order to make way for former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's funeral arrangements. The film's other big star, Gwyneth Paltrow, ditched the retimed 'do to attend a glamorous Tiffany's event in New York instead.

THE ROLES THEY DIDN'T GET

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120lb by December!

So I weigh about 330lb and would like to be around 200lb by December, any tips?? Starting with low cal diet and building it up as a start to get more active!

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Gorging at the Buffet Table? Tactics May Help You Eat Less

Study reveals how people stay in control when faced with endless portions, many choices

By Brenda Goodman

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Few situations can trip up someone who is watching their weight like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

But a new research letter published in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests two strategies that may help dieters survive a smorgasbord: Picking up a smaller plate and circling the buffet before choosing what to eat.

Buffets have two things that raise nutritionists' eyebrows -- unlimited portions and tons of choices. Both can crank up the calorie count of a meal.

"Research shows that when faced with a variety of food at one sitting, people tend to eat more. It is the temptation of wanting to try a variety of foods that makes it particularly hard not to overeat at a buffet," says Rachel Begun, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was not involved with the new study.

Still, some people don't overeat at buffets, and that made study author Brian Wansink, director of the food and brand lab at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., wonder how they restrain themselves.

"People often say that the only way not to overeat at a buffet is not to go to a buffet," said Wansink, a psychologist who studies the environmental cues linked to overeating. "But there are a ton of people at buffets who are really skinny. We wondered: What is it that skinny people do at buffets that heavy people don't?"

Wansink deployed a team of 30 trained observers who painstakingly collected information about the eating habits of more than 300 people who visited 22 all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet restaurants in six states.

Tucked away in corners where they could watch unobtrusively, the observers checked 103 different things about the way people behaved around the buffet. They logged information about whom diners were with and where they sat -- close or far from the buffet, in a table or booth, facing toward or away from the buffet. Observers also noted what kind of utensils diners used -- forks or chopsticks -- whether they placed a napkin in their laps, and even how many times they chewed a single mouthful of food.

They also were taught to estimate a person's body-mass index, or BMI, on sight. Body-mass index is the ratio of a person's weight to their height, and doctors use it to gauge whether a person is overweight.

The results of the study revealed key differences in how thinner and heavier people approached a buffet.

"Skinny people are more likely to scout out the food. They're more likely to look at the different alternatives before they pounce on something," Wansink said. "Heavy people just tend to pick up a plate and look at each item and say, 'Do I want it? Yes or no.'"

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