An introduction to the superfood Quinoa
Quinoa has been enjoyed in its home country of South America for over 3000 years. It is still grown mainly in Bolivia and Ecuador although farmers in the southern states of the USA are now growing quinoa as it becomes more and more popular. It seems to be widely available over the counter in most food shops now. If not you can always buy it online.
What is quinoa?
To find quinoa you will need to go to the grain section of the shop or catalogue. Spinach and chard are in the same plant group. The leaves can be cooke or eaten raw. Of course the leaf version is only available where it is grown as it does not store or travel well. The original seed type is the most important type of quinoa because it holds all the nutritional benefits with it.
What is Quinoa Like?
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
The seeds are similar to dry rice only about a third of the size. The standard quinoa seed is a pale cream colour .You can occasionally get hold of red and black quinoa seeds aswell. You can buy it in small packs and it is usually ready to cook. You can replace any favourite rice dish you have with quinoa very easily. You will find that it adds its own character to any recipe you use it with.
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
How do you cook Quinoa?
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
To cook quinoa the easiest way you take some water and quinoa in a saucepan and bring it to the boil on the hob. The proportions for cooking are 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. The quinoa absorbs all the water if you get the amounts correct. Occasionally you will come across quinoa that still has a bitter saponin coating. If you find this is the case you must pre-rinse it before you go and cook it. Most shops now sell without the coating.
When it is ready to eat you simply use it as an accompaniament to you main dish or indeed as a solo meal. You can also include it salads and soups. You will find that it blends well with most foods as it absorbs the flavour of the accompanying ingredients.
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
A well known feature is the little halo you get which is actually the germ that becomes more visible with cooking. This has a very pleasant crunch to it when you eat it. Some people describe this as being nutty. I’m not sure I agree but quinoa does taste good.
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
You can microwave quinoa and put it in casseroles as a thickening agent. As well as the seed version there is also quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. You do have to go careful with the quinoa flour because it is not a straight substitue for wheat flour.
What is special about Quinoa?
There are a number of things that make quinoa special. Being Gluten free you can include it into almost any special diet and it will not cause any health complications. It also has all the essential proteins so is good for supply vegetarians with minerals and vitamins you can’t get easily from other foods. Finally it releases its carbohydrates into the body very slowly so helps people with diabetes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other dietary related diseases.
Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
Tags: how to cook quinoa, Quinoa, what is quinoa