Cooking with Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinwa): is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds.

Sounds unappetizing, I know. Well, after running hours of errands before we head to Dallas tomorrow for OU/TX we ran to Central Market to grab a few items for shish kabobs. I grabbed a 1/2 pound of shrimp, zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, a red onion, and mushrooms. My usual accompanying side dish to shish kabobs is cilantro and lime rice. Much to my dismay when I got home there was no rice in my cupboard; however there was a container of quinoa that my roommate purchased months ago but never fixed.

The directions were the same as cooking rice: 2:1. Two cups of water, one cup of quinoa, simmer covered for 15 minutes. Boom, done. I added the juice of one small lime and a handful of chopped cilantro. I would usually add a Tbl. of butter to rice but the quinoa had such a good flavor it didn't need it.

Nutritional Benefits: The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces a day, about 1/2-cup, will provide a child’s protein needs for one day. The 6-7% fat of quinoa is relatively high when compared to other grains, but it boasts a low sodium content and also provides valuable starch and fiber. Quinoa also contains albumen, a protein that is found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues.

In short, look for more quinoa recipes to come!