QUINOA!!!

Quinoa is one of my favorite grains! High in nutritional values and low in everything bad! Cooks up like rice, 2 cups water, one cup quinoa....but it a little less time. Red quinoa is my favorite, but in a quick poll of friends, most seem to prefer the regular quinoa.

Pronounced (kin wa), this ancient grain originated in the Andean region of Peru, where it was successfully domesticated 3000 to 4000 years ago by the Incas as an important food staple.The Incas, referred to quinoa as chisaya mama or 'mother of all grains'.

Be forewarned, quinoa has a bitter, unpalatable, but natural coating of something called saponin that MUST be rinsed off before cooking. Many commercial brands say the grain has been pre-rinsed, but I still rinse it thoroughly just to be sure.

In pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, the nutritional value of quinoa was secondary only to the potato, followed by maize. Quinoa has once again become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

I'll post some recipes that include quinoa in the SIDE DISH section, but remember, whenever you use rice, you could be using quinoa!