Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)  was once called "the gold of the Incas" for increasing the stamina of Incan warriors. Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to rice or couscous.  Quinoa, the "mother grain," is an extremely nutritious seed. It has a protein value that is extremely high (12-18%) and the protein it supplies is a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Because of this, it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's protein needs than wheat protein. Quinoa is easy to digest and naturally contains no gluten. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron.

Tempeh is a fermented food made by the controlled fermentation of cooked soybeans with a Rhizopus mold (tempeh starter) The tempeh fermentation by the Rhizopus mold binds the soybeans into a compact white cake. Tempeh has been a favorite food and staple source of protein in Indonesia for several hundred years and is now rapidly becoming more popular all over the world as people look for ways to increase their intake of soybeans and isoflavones. Vegetarians and vegans especially find the structure and protein content interesting. Tempeh has a firm texture and a nutty mushroom flavour. It is very nutritive and contains many health promoting phytochemicals such as isoflavones and soy saponins. Tempeh fermentation produces natural antibiotic agents but leaves the desirable soy isoflavones and most of the saponins intact. Tempeh is a complete protein food that contains all the essential amino acids. Tempeh maintains all the fiber of the beans and gains some digestive benefits from the enzymes created during the fermentation process. It is also known to be an excellent source of probiotics, the good bacteria.