Quinoa: An Amazing Grain

Quinoa: An Amazing Grain

Quinoa (keen-wah) is replacing other staples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It can be prepared in 20 minutes and is mild in flavor. It also is more versatile than rice. Quinoa’s has a mild flavor and fluffy texture with a slight hint of crunch that pairs well with a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and fish.

For breakfast, use it in place of warm oats and serve with cinnamon, nuts and your favorite berries. For lunch, stir cold quinoa into a black bean salad, topped with cilantro and citrus dressing. In the evening, serve with herbed salmon over a bed of warm quinoa pilaf.

Quinoa has plenty of omega-3’s and monounsaturated fats. It has more antioxidants than some berries and it is one of the few foods in the plant kingdom that provides a complete protein with all eight essential amino acids. It is rich in potassium.

This gluten-free seed swells to three times its size when cooked. Use one part dry quinoa to 11/2 to 2 parts liquid.

It ranges in colors from white to black. White has the mildest flavor. Red is slightly nuttier and black has an earthly flavor.

Once cooked, it will keep in the refrigerator for one week.