Image: SweetOnVeg

I'm sure you've already heard about quinoa, the grain that isn't a grain (it's biologically a seed). A nutrititious protein-packed powerhouse, quinoa can be cooked and eaten like grains, such as rice or bulgur, but offers more nutrients including essential amino acids, calcium, iron and phosphorous. Not to mention, quinoa is delicious and beautiful on the plate: the tiny grains open up into what look like tiny fiddleheads. Try some of these delicious quinoa recipes to bring something new and delicious to your vegetarian mains.

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For a quick and easy summer salad, look no further than this Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas. Snap peas, often compared to snow peas, are edible-podded peas that are high in fiber and vitamin C and low in calories. The addition of roasted pumpkin seeds to this salad adds even more protein and crunch to this already delicious salad, which is simple to prepare and great for a picnic or for lunch at work.

Image: marthamerry

Go even simpler, if you can imagine it, with our very own Lemon-Herb Quinoa. A simple combination of lemon juice, fresh herbs and that little power seed makes a delicious salad, to serve as a side or on its own. For a quick and easy summer dinner, we like to serve several salads for an interesting and tasty plate... why not make this one of them?

Image: The Nibble

For a snack, try our very own Quinoa Chia Energy Bars. Much more nutritious than bars using oats or wheat, the joint power of quinoa and chia seeds makes these delicious bars the perfect pre- or post-workout snack or on-the-go breakfast. Make a whole batch of them and keep them on-hand; it'll make it easier to skip grab-and-go snacks when you have homemade ones that taste so good!

Image: lorda

Quinoa desserts? Why not? Quinoa Cloud Cookies from 101 Cookbooks are a great dessert, using quinoa flour in addition to plain white flour, bringing nutrients and nutty flavor to a classic cookie recipe. You can feel good about taking seconds!