Article continues below...

Quinoa (not pronounced how it is spelled - keen-wah) has been around since it was a staple of the ancient Incas diet, but just in the last few years has it been readily available in major supermarkets. Why? It is a complete vegetarian protein, gluten -free, has a low glycemic index, and is easily digested, making it a healthy and satisfying option for vegetarians, people with food allergies, and those looking for a meatless meal that delivers flavor and nutrition. Quinoa means “mother grain;” in addition to protein, it provides calcium and iron and is a great whole grain substitute for rice. Popular brands include Bob’s Red Mill, Arrowhead Mills, and Ancient Harvest.

When cooked, quinoa has a light, fluffy texture and mild nutty flavor - so, how do you cook it? The easiest method is to cook it like rice - use a 2-to-1 ratio of water or cooking liquid (you can use stock) to dried quinoa, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer over low heat, covered, for 14 - 18 minutes or until cooked to al-dente (with a slight bite in the middle). You can then use the cooked quinoa in a variety of dishes - serve as a bed for stir fired vegetables, add to soups or stews, use as you would rice in a cold or warm salad, or even eat as a hot breakfast cereal  with nuts, berries and a drizzle of honey. Try this recipe for Quinoa Salad submitted by a rachaelray.com reader chock full of delciousness - nuts, dried cranberries and goat cheese - yum!

• 2 Comments
• More by this Author

This entry was posted on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 9:27 am and is filed under Blogroll, Food, Friends, Yum-o! tips for healthy eating. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.