“What the heck is Quinoa?!”

In our search to incorporate gluten free foods into our diet, one search engine lead us to a product called Quinoa. The name alone sounded strange, and of course I butchered it a hundred times while reading up on it before coming to a site that was gracious enough to post the pronunciation of the word. So then, Quinoa (pronounced “keen wah”), what is it, and why should I eat it?...keep reading and all your questions will be answered.

Quinoa is referred to as a whole grain and just may be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. So how come you don’t know about it, and why aren’t you eating it? Obscurity of this grain is one answer, the other is because you mainly see it in health food stores, for now. I say for now because things are about to change for this delicious whole grain very soon. Before I get into why, let’s talk about what Quinoa really is.

Quinoa is referred to as a whole grain but is actually a seed. It is from the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant and is closely related to beets and spinach. It is considered one of the worlds “super foods” and is on more food lists as a “must have” for your diet than I can count. It is called the “Mother Grain” by the Incan Indians who have used it as a staple in their diet for over 5,000 years.
As far as the health benefits go, there are many. Besides being cholesterol and gluten free, quinoa is very high in protein (12 to 15%). One cup of quinoa has more calcium than one quart of milk, it’s very high in amino acids (the essential building blocks of your body of which your body cannot make on its own), it is high in vitamin B, C and E, thiamine, riboflavin, magnesium, fiber and potassium. In fact the list goes on and on…

So how can something like this be hiding from us all of our lives? Well like I said earlier, one of the reasons is that up until recently it was only available in health food stores. So unless any of you have some sort of dietary issues, or are health foodies, you probably have not been to these stores. Fear not, this delectable seed has now made it mainstream! Some high end restaurants have started putting it on their menus and it has been seen occasionally on Food TV. So like anything else, once you see it on TV and on menus from famous chefs, it is never long before Stop and Shop carries it.

Needless to say, if this stuff didn’t taste great I would not be raving about it. From a flavor perspective I do not have anything to equate it to, so I can't say “it tastes like,” as it is unique. It has a texture like rice (but is way smaller) and is a little nutty. I have had it as a hot side dish as well as a cold salad with vinegar. Like rice it can be quite the chameleon and take on the flavors of whatever you are cooking. I like to make mine with chicken stock instead of water to give it more flavor, but the possibilities are endless and up to your imagination. Here are two ways I like to have it (one hot and one cold).

Basic Quinoa
Ingredients:
• One cup of Quinoa
• 2 cups of Chicken Stock
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a medium size sauce pan with a lid, bring 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil.
2. Add the quinoa and boil for 2 minutes; covered.
3. Bring the heat down to low and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes.
4. Adjust for salt and pepper at the end of the cooking process.

You will know the quinoa is done as it will be soft but still have a little give to it (almost al dente).


Roasted Red Pepper and Corn Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
• Use cold leftover quinoa that has been refrigerated (2 cups).
• 1 large Roasted Red Pepper; diced.
• ½ can of cooked whole kernel Corn.
• ½ basic vinaigrette (rice vinegar and olive oil works best).
• 1 Avocado; sliced

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients except for the avocado, adjust for salt and pepper and place back in the fridge for about 20 minutes for the flavors to come together.
2. Serve with avocado on the side.
There are many more ways to prepare quinoa; with ham, bacon, asparagus, raisins and goat cheese. I even have a great “Quinoa, Asparagus and Potato Bowl” recipe in my cookbook. Just use your imagination and you will see that there are just as many ways to eat this as there are rice dishes. In fact, post back to my blog with some new ideas…I am always up for a new recipe!

Bowl of uncooked Quinoa