At first glance you would assume it is a grain, actually it is a seed. And it is an abundant source of minerals. Because quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids it is considered a complete protein. It is particularly a good source of lysine an amino acid that helps repair muscle tissue. You can see why I chose this as one of my power foods. Oh and it is also gluten free.
Quinoa is as versatile as rice, but has a richer, nuttier flavor.
So how do you prepare this super food?
Because quinoa has a bitter outer covering to deter birds it must be rinsed well prior to cooking. Once rinsed you will add quinoa and water to a pot using a one to two ratio. For example cook ½ cup of quinoa to 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy.
Once it is cooked you can use it any place you would normally use rice. For example try it with your next stir fry, add it to soups or stews, put it your meatball recipe your options are endless. It is also a great grain for baking gluten free breads and muffins.
A ½ cup serving of quinoa is 110 calories, 2g of fat, 20 gcarbohydrates, 4g of protein.
This is Red Quinoa I cooked today.
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