Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Quinoa

Have you ever heard of Quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”)?  I hadn't ever heard of it previous to all this.  It is a little miracle of a seed that I have found to be the perfect replacement for rice and couscous!  It is something that needs to be cooked, but I'm totally cool with that because it is the perfect thing for when I want that really full feeling.  Plus, it's REALLY good for you!


Its nutritional value is awesome - its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine (an amino acid)), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.  It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.


I made some for dinner tonight and mixed in some broccoli - a perfect, light dinner!  Way better tasting and much better for you then what it reminds me of and what I used to eat: rice-a-roni type dish.


Here is the quinoa before it's cooked - very tiny little seeds:


Then when it's cooked, it expands and becomes translucent - it's pretty cool looking (the pix is a bit yellow):

Has anyone else tried quinoa before?  If so, what did you have with it?

1 comment:

  1. Here are some responses I received on Facebook:

    "Here's a hint: the red or dark Quinoa have a stronger flavor. For any of them, you have to make sure that you either have prerinsed Q, or rinse it yourself. There is a very bitter shell on the outside of the seed, but it rinses off."
    ~Kathy C.

    " Love quinoa! The first time I had it, a friend made it in a shrimp dish with some sauce and craisins. We've eaten it plain, with spaghetti sauce (my favorite so far), in soup, as a substitute for rice with Indian food, and with black beans ...or chick peas.

    I have a box of the red at home, haven't tried it yet, but looking forward to it!"
    ~Shannon C.

    "hmmm, I've seen it at Costco but never have purchased it - may have to get some today!"
    ~Connie B.

    "hurrah! your body will thank you for the addition of this wonderful grain. ♥ you, manda"
    ~Melanie S.

    "I love Quinoa, we have been eating it for about a year now."
    ~Jennifer P.

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