You might have heard that what you put in your body is as important as what you put on it. One ingredient that checks both boxes, however, is quinoa, which is featured in Aveda’s new Damage Remedy™ line of hair products. Quinoa is high in protein, which is a building block of hair. Internally, quinoa’s high protein profile makes it “more nutritious than any other grain,” says chef Kate O’Donnell, author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook.

Kate knows from experience. A few years ago, she struggled with digestive issues, so she adopted an Ayurvedic diet, rich in quinoa. “Quinoa is used a lot in Ayurvedic cooking because it is packed with protein in addition to being gluten-free, so it’s filling without being hard to digest,” says Kate. It’s also ideal for summer “when your body doesn’t tend to crave richer proteins like meat and cheese,” she says.

The following recipe for Kate’s “Everyday Steamed Salad Bowl” is super-easy to prepare—and has become the chef’s go-to summer lunch. Kate recommends soaking the grain overnight before boiling it for the creamiest outcome. “Try soaking one part quinoa in two parts water, and adding another part water when cooking,” she says. Kate herself likes to make big batches of quinoa so that she can use it throughout the day; “I love heating it up in almond milk for breakfast,” she adds.