Lentils are also chock full of folate and magnesium, which promote general cardiovascular health and improve blood flow, making sure that oxygen and nutrients circulate healthily throughout the body. They are also a great source of calcium, zinc, and iron.

Barley is another great superfood. A huge source of soluble and insoluble fiber, barley is an excellent choice for weight loss, blood sugar management, lowering cholesterol and improving heart health. It’s a great source of antioxidants, low in fat, and is full of vitamin B, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, and copper.

Mix up barley and lentils in the following recipe for an incredible source of nutrients!

 Source: Myrecipes

Barley and Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m| Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

3/4 cup quick-cooking barley
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
A dash of kosher salt and black pepper
1 medium head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
1 1/5-ounce can lentils, rinsed
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/4 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 English cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Cook the barley according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce with half the lemon dressing. In a second medium bowl, toss the barley, lentils, carrot, onion, olives, and cucumber with the remaining lemon dressing. Serve the barley mixture over the lettuce and sprinkle with the goat cheese.

Recipe Source: Realsimple.com 

The post Recipe: Barley and Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese appeared first on OctaSlider.

Quinoa is known for helping lower cholesterol, reducing diabetes risk, lowering blood pressure, and supporting weight loss. Follow this superbly simple recipe to easily incorporate this superfood into your lifestyle!

Photo Source: Sheknows

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Quinoa

3 Cups Water

1 Large Handful fresh cilantro

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Haas Avocado

1 Drizzle honey or Agave nectar (optional)

1 1/2 Cups Grape Tomatoes

1 Lemon or Lime

Directions

1. First, rinse quinoa thoroughly in a small strainer. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Put quinoa in water and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

2. While the quinoa is cooking, halve your tomatoes and cut up your avocado and cilantro.

3. Once the quinoa is cooked, drizzle w/ olive oil and agave or honey and sprinkle with salt, pepper.

4. Stir up the quinoa to release some heat and bring to room temperature.

5. Stir in avocado, tomato and cilantro, squeeze your citrus over this, toss and enjoy!

Pro Tip: for extra flavor, boil the quinoa in your choice of broth for extra flavor, using a 2 to 1 fluids to quinoa ratio.

Recipe Source: Tablespoon.com  

The post Recipe: Quinoa Salad appeared first on OctaSlider.

Photo credit: ciaofromdebbie.com

This easy, raw salad is a great way to refuel after your workout. Colourful and packed with nutrients, it’s perfect for a grab and go meal.

OctaSlaw:

2 thinly sliced apples (your choice – Gala or Fuji work well)

3 grated carrots

2 grated beets

1 thinly slicked red onion

cilantro

mint

juice from 1 lemon

pinch of sea salt

Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and toss together, making sure the lemon juice covers everything evenly.

The post Recipe: Raw OctaSlaw appeared first on OctaSlider.