Thursday, December 15, 2011

Ever Heard of Quinoa?

If it hadn't been for Lil' Guy's allergies,
we may never have discovered quinoa (say keen-wa).
It makes a great substitute for couscous,
which he loves
but can't eat because he is sensitive to wheat.



 

We buy it at our local grocery store.
It can be found in bulk,
but we have to be careful about
contamination with wheat products,
so it's not an option for us.



Quinoa is a great option for those on a gluten-free diet.
It's light and airy and has a nutty flavor.







It's as quick and easy as fixing rice.
Use it as a side dish with veggies, fish or chicken
or add it to bean burgers or meatloaf.
Since the protein content in quinoa is so high,
it's great paired with beans for a great vegetarian
alternative to rice and beans.

You can find recipes using this unique grain here.






5 comments:

  1. I try and try to like Quinoa, but I always taste the bitter. I have heard to soak it first, but the size is so small it is hard to rinse in the colander. But it is so good for you. Sigh.

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  2. Yes, you really need to soak it first. It actually has a slightly poisonous coating that soaking removes. You can buy pre-soaked varieties.

    I also get red quinoa from my local market's bulk bins. It has a more nutty flavor.

    I like to mix quinoa (regular or red) in with my steel cut oats. They cook at about the same rate, and it gives them mix a bit more body and increasing the protein.

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  3. Jane-Maybe try a fine sieve? The type I buy in the box doesn't seem to need rinsing.

    karenish-What a great breakfast idea!

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  4. I don't know where you are located but they have huge bags of organic quinoa at Costco and they are pretty inexpensive. I love quinoa with coconut oil, onion and garlic and one can coconut milk and one can water for 1.5 to 2 cups quinoa. This is so delicious!

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  5. MamaJewel-Thanks for the recipe!

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