Can eating certain foods really boost your fertility? The answer is yes.
It’s important to remember that there is no magic diet that will result in pregnancy, but food and lifestyle choices do have a significant impact on the reproductive health of both women and men.
Try this delicious and nutritious Smokey Quinoa ‘Mince’ Tacos recipe made with the amazing whole grain, quinoa.
Quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse. It is a complete protein and is high in magnesium, folate (folic acid), Vitamin E (antioxidant), iron and phosphorous … this plant protein fits nicely into the fertility nutrition meal plan because it provides energy and have to be slowly digested by your body, which helps regulate blood sugar to prevent spikes and crashes.
What you’ll need:
- 300ml Red & White Quinoa
- 20ml Vegetable Stock
- 600gr Baby Tomatoes rinsed & quartered
- 10gr Fresh Mint rinsed, picked & finely sliced
- 30ml Nutritional Yeast
- 20ml Mexican Spice Blend
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled & grated
- 200ml Tomato Salsa
- 20 ml Kidney Beans drained & rinsed
- 240g Spring Onion finely sliced
- 12 Soft Corn Tortillas
- 2 Fresh Chilli’s deseeded & finely sliced
How to make:
- GET THE QUINOA GOING: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot with the stock. Submerge in 800ml of water and give it a stir. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to a simmer uncovered. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the tails have popped out, adding more water if required during the cooking process. On completion, drain if necessary and return to the pot. Cover with a lid and allow to stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
- SOME PREP: Place half of the quartered baby tomatoes in a bowl. Add three-quarters of the sliced mint, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of oil. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate until serving.
- MEXI ‘MINCE’: When the quinoa is cooked, transfer to a tinfoil-lined baking tray. Stir through the nutritional yeast, the Mexican spice blend (to taste), and the grated garlic. Gently toss through the tomato salsa, the drained kidney beans, the remaining baby tomatoes, and three-quarters of the sliced spring onion. Add a generous drizzle of oil, toss to coat, and spread out evenly. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, shifting halfway. On completion, the quinoa should be crispy and have a smoky aroma.
- TOAST THE TORTILLAS: When the baked quinoa has about 5 minutes remaining, place a pan over a medium heat. When hot, dry toast the tortillas in batches for 30-60 seconds per side until warmed through and lightly crisped. Remove from the pan on completion. As you go, stack the heated ones on a plate under a dry dishcloth. This keeps them warm and prevents them from drying out.
- ASSEMBLE!: Lay out the warm tortillas and pile the chunky quinoa ‘mince’ in the centre. Cover with the minty tomatoes and sprinkle over the fresh, sliced chilli to taste. Garnish with the remaining spring onion and fresh mint. What delish tacos!
If you’re feeling fancy, slice the spring onion into long, thin strips and place the quarter being used for garnish in a bowl of ice water to make them curly!
Recipe with thanks to our friends at The Plant Powered Show
