Excitement over Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited. Find the nutritional facts here.
My take on Quinoa:
After taking on the chore of looking up Quinoa and searching it out in the grocery store (Super Target sells it in the baking isle)or you can buy it here on Amazon (which, by the way, is a great deal since you get 4 bags for that price! One bag at Target runs around $12), I then started searching for recipes on the internet. You know how most of these recipes you find have ratings? I was intrigued to see that any recipes involving Quinoa received 4 1/2 or 5 stars out of 5. It seemed to me that this may be the new, healthy food I had been looking for!
It is surprisingly easy to prepare. Much like rice, it is simmered at a low temperature until the water is absorbed, then it is allowed to sit and soften, the way cous cous would be prepared. In total, about 25 minutes. Although it tastes very interesting on it's own...not too bland, not too chewy...it does need to be livened up. The recipes I found did everything from cooking the Quinoa in different kinds of broths or fruit juices, to using it as a base for muffins and puddings (I can't wait to try those)! The add in's are endless. It can be served hot, warm, or cold, tossed into salads, main dishes, entrees, breakfasts and deserts!
Last night, I baked up some chicken, and tried a Mediterranean Quinoa dish side dish. I cooked up 1 cup of Quinoa in 2 cups of water. After it simmered and sat for 14 minutes (it expands tremendously, so don't be fooled by the seemingly small amount), I added 2 tbls. of Avocado Oil, 1/2 cup Feta Cheese, 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata and Green Olives, sliced, and 1 tsp. Greek Seasoning from Penzey seasonings. It was the most amazing thing I ever tasted! In fact, my newly turned 10-year old twins couldn't get enough of it! They kept looking at me as they helped themselves to more, wondering if I was going to stop them! It still amazes me that as I continue my journey to feed my family better, the foods that they are not afraid to try...and enjoy!
Quinoa will be a staple at our home now. I plan to try a recipe I found with carrots and raisins...plus a muffin recipe that looks outrageous!
To be continued...
My take on Quinoa:
After taking on the chore of looking up Quinoa and searching it out in the grocery store (Super Target sells it in the baking isle)or you can buy it here on Amazon (which, by the way, is a great deal since you get 4 bags for that price! One bag at Target runs around $12), I then started searching for recipes on the internet. You know how most of these recipes you find have ratings? I was intrigued to see that any recipes involving Quinoa received 4 1/2 or 5 stars out of 5. It seemed to me that this may be the new, healthy food I had been looking for!
It is surprisingly easy to prepare. Much like rice, it is simmered at a low temperature until the water is absorbed, then it is allowed to sit and soften, the way cous cous would be prepared. In total, about 25 minutes. Although it tastes very interesting on it's own...not too bland, not too chewy...it does need to be livened up. The recipes I found did everything from cooking the Quinoa in different kinds of broths or fruit juices, to using it as a base for muffins and puddings (I can't wait to try those)! The add in's are endless. It can be served hot, warm, or cold, tossed into salads, main dishes, entrees, breakfasts and deserts!
Last night, I baked up some chicken, and tried a Mediterranean Quinoa dish side dish. I cooked up 1 cup of Quinoa in 2 cups of water. After it simmered and sat for 14 minutes (it expands tremendously, so don't be fooled by the seemingly small amount), I added 2 tbls. of Avocado Oil, 1/2 cup Feta Cheese, 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata and Green Olives, sliced, and 1 tsp. Greek Seasoning from Penzey seasonings. It was the most amazing thing I ever tasted! In fact, my newly turned 10-year old twins couldn't get enough of it! They kept looking at me as they helped themselves to more, wondering if I was going to stop them! It still amazes me that as I continue my journey to feed my family better, the foods that they are not afraid to try...and enjoy!
Quinoa will be a staple at our home now. I plan to try a recipe I found with carrots and raisins...plus a muffin recipe that looks outrageous!
To be continued...
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1 comments:
I love quinoa.
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