Quinoa - The New Super Food
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain-like crop that has ancient origins. Quinoa has only recently been gaining in popularity because of its numerous health benefits, but it's actually been around for centuries. It originated in South America over five thousand years ago and was so central to the ancient Incan culture that it was referred to as the Mother Grain. Although quinoa is considered a whole grain, botanically it's actually a plant with edible leaves that is closely related to beets, spinach, and Swiss chard. However, it is primarily grown for its edible seeds. Besides the fact that it is tasty and easy to prepare, quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse. It has many unique qualities and health benefits such as:
It has a very high protein content (about twice the protein of regular cereal grains), which makes it a great source of protein for vegetarians
It is the only grain that is a complete protein, meaning that it contains a balanced set of all nine essential amino acids
It is gluten-free and easy to digest which makes it a nice option for people who are gluten-intolerant
It is a good source of dietary fiber
It is a good source of several B Vitamins, Vitamin E, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium
Because of all of its healthy properties, quinoa is a great choice for people with cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. It's also a nice alternative for anyone trying to cut down their intake of refined, processed carbohydrates and include more healthy whole grains in their diet.
Recipe ideas:
You can basically substitute quinoa for rice or cous cous in any recipe. Or try one of these ideas:
Use it as a breakfast dish- cook quinoa flakes instead of oatmeal and mix with your favorite fruits and nuts
Cook quinoa in water or broth and mix with vegetables and herbs for a quinoa pilaf
Make a cold quinoa salad by tossing cooked quinoa with a vinaigrette and grilled or roasted vegetables (and chicken if desired)
Add quinoa to your favorite soup or stew
Use quinoa mixed with your favorite herbs to stuff vegetables like bell peppers
Make a new dessert- quinoa pudding instead of rice pudding
Cook it in chicken broth then toss with baby spinach, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and goat cheese
Make an Indian version by cooking quinoa with onion, ginger, garlic, curry powder and chicken broth or water. Stir in peas and cilantro
Make a Spanish version by cooking quinoa with onion, garlic, saffron, and chicken broth. Stir in peas, chopped piquillo peppers and parsley.
