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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

                                                                 QUINOA


I have to be honest and let ya know my original plan was not to post about quinoa..... 

It's winter, it's cold outside.  I wanted to post a recipe like Beef Vegetable Soup or Chili.  I pulled out my recipes, could not decide,  it's close to my son's bedtime,  so here it goes..... something SIMPLE!

Do you know what quinoa is?  I didn't either until a very dear, very health conscious friend introduced me to it.  I can't thank her enough because I personally LOVE it!

Basically  quinoa is 100% whole grain and is close to being a perfect food source in the balance of nutrition it provides. Quinoa has a nutty, smoky flavor and is less filling than other grains and pasta.

Ok, so that's the scoop on quinoa.  

Now where can you buy it?  I have found it in farmer's markets, Krogers (in the organic/health section), health food stores, Whole Foods (Walmart may have it as well, but not 100% sure).  Ask the store you shop in and surely they could take you to the correct isle.

How do you cook it?  Basically like rice. Just put a cup of the quinoa in a saucepan and pour two cups of water over it. Bring the pan to a boil, cover, and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, then remove from heat.

Your cooked quinoa should be light and fluffy, just like cooked rice.  Instead of using water, try using chicken or vegetable broth.  After the quinoa is cooked,  in a separate pan i saute chopped onions, red bell pepper, garlic, (and any other vegetable you like) in a little olive oil, stir it in with the quinoa and it is DELICIOUS. 

(*side note-if you see little white circle thingys, that's normal....i checked with my friend who is a quinoa expert....*)

Here is a video you can watch that is funny and shows you how to cook it!  Give it a try!  We love it at my house and it is soooo healthy for you!



Wow, this turned out to be a long post.  But...... it's simple to cook and a food everyone should know about!  
Healthy Eating,
Tara