Looking for a healthier and more flavorful alternative to rice? Well if you haven’t heard of it yet, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) cooks as fast as rice and has the highest nutritional profile of any grain. For breakfast, lunch or dinner, quinoa is versatile and can serve as the main protein source in any meal (very useful for vegetarians and vegans). It is an extremely high-energy grain, and has been grown and consumed for about 8,000 years on the high plains of the Andes Mountains in South America.
Reasons to love it:
• Is a complete protein containing all 8 amino acids.
• Has the same protein content as milk.
• Contains B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E.
• Is gluten-free and easy to digest.
• Serves as an ideal food source for endurance.
• Helps strengthen the kidneys, heart and lungs.
So if you want to give quinoa a try, it must be rinsed before cooking to remove the naturally
occurring bitter coating, called saponin. Saponin, when removed from
quinoa, produces a soapy solution in water (so that’s natural if you notice it). Quinoa is usually rinsed before it
is packaged and sold at the store, but it’s best to rinse again at home. Store dry,
uncooked quinoa in a cool, dry and dark place in a tightly closed glass jar
for up to one year.
As a time saver, cook a lot of quinoa at once and eat it for several meals. It
can be easily reheated with a splash of milk for breakfast
porridge, and you can add dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon for a sweet treat. Consider mixing it with finely chopped raw vegetables and dressing for a cooling salad, or
add chopped cooked root vegetables for a warming side dish. When quinoa is cooked, the outer germ surrounding the seed breaks open to form a crunchy coil while the inner grain becomes soft and translucent. This double texture makes it delicious and kind of fun to eat, too!
Here’s a basic quinoa recipe to try tonight:
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
seasonings to taste
Directions:
• Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse quinoa with cool water until the water runs clear.
• Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook covered for 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes covered, then fluff with a fork.
• Add seasonings to your liking.
Or for a delicious toasted flavor, dry roast for 5 minutes in saucepan before adding liquid, and enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition