Whats Quinoa?

On the list of strange things that only your health-nut friends eat, is Quinoa. Pronounced, keen-WAH, this small nutritional giant has become increasingly popular in the United States. Once cooked, quinoa has a light, fluffy texture and has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that can be used as an alternative to things like couscous or rice.

Cooking instructions

Quinoa is cooked very similarly to rice. Two cups of water are added to one cup of quinoa, it is brought to a boil and then let to simmer for about 10-15 minutes. It can also easily be prepared in a rice cooker the same way you would cook rice.

Nutritional value

Quinoa has about eight grams of protein per serving, and is a good source of dietary fiber making it a great choice for someone who might be trying to lose weight, and of course just eat healthier. It is also a source of calcium, and is gluten free.

Recipes

I like to make quinoa in a cold salad, or in stuffed bell peppers. My favorite cold salad is a mixture of quinoa, wheat berries, soy beans, chopped carrots, bell peppers and whatever other vegetables I may have on hand with an orange dressing. You can change the proportions however you would like, but I usually cook a cup of each grain, and add about a cup of each vegetable. The dressing I use is a mandarine ginger dressing, and I add a splash of lemon to lighten it up even more.

When stuffing peppers I cook the quinoa in vegetable broth (one can) and some canned diced tomatoes (about half of a can), and add some black beans as well (again about half of a can). I then add whatever spices I want when the quinoa is cooked through, and I put the mixture in my peppers.