Quinoa (keen-wah) is an ancient grain that is not a true cereal gran but is used at one. When cooked, the wispy germ separates from the seed. Then its delicate curlicue makes a great contrast to the soft grain. Quinoa is a high-energy food, easy to digest, and is a complete protein, having the highest protein content of any grain (16%!). it has an essential amino acid profile similar to but contains more calcium than milk! It also boasts a balanced source of many other vital nutrients including iron and phosphorus, B Vitamins and Vitamin E. It is easy to prepare and cooks up quickly! (Thank you, Rebecca Wood and The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia for the info. This book is my go-to when I want to know the nutrients, benefits, or lack thereof of any whole food.)
I make a cup of dry quinoa weekly, store in the 'fridge, and use throughout the weekly meals. A lot of people point out that rinsing your quinoa well will ensure ridding it of bitter taste inducing saponins and taking it a step further and toasting it in a dry pan before boiling will give it an even better flavor. All good points, and totally two steps that I almost always skip and STILL remain smitten with the taste and texture of this amazing food! One day I'll toss a handful into a greens-based salad, other days it becomes a salad itself and is a great lunch or side dish. I also blogged about a wonderful quinoa hash here that can be varied easily according to what you have on hand or whatever suits your favorite flavors.
A lot of times, though I prepare it like you see above, as an alternative to rice and a great way to use up produce on hand. This meal was super simple and so satisfying! I just roasted some portabello mushrooms in the oven with olive oil and sea salt, while sauteing onion, garlic, some carrot, and broccoli on the stove top. At the end, I just tossed in a scoop of already cooked quinoa and then the chopped, roasted 'shroom. I whipped up a quick peanut sauce (organic peanut butter thinned with a bit of water, some Sriracha, agave, wheat-free soy sauce, and roasted sesame oil). Super simple, so healthy, gluten-free, soy-free (because not everyone wants to gobble down as much soy as I do weekly ;), and really really delicious!
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