|
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a relative of beetroot. It contains more protein than any other grain -an average of 16.2 percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 10 percent for wheat.
Quinoa's protein is of an unusually high quality. It is a complete protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal. Quinoa's protein is high in lysine, methionine and cystine. This makes it an excellent food to combine with, and boost the protein value of, other grains (which are low in lysine), or soy (which is low in methionine and cystine).
Besides its unique protein, quinoa also provides starch, sugars, oil (high in essential linoleic acid), fibre, minerals (especially potassium, phosphorus, iron, and calcium) and vitamins.
Quinoa is completely gluten free.
Quinoa has a low glycemic index of 35.
Quinoa is light, tasty, and easy to digest. It is not sticky or heavy like most other grains, and it has a delicious flavor all its own.
Quinoa can be substituted for almost any grain in any recipe. It looks and tastes great on its own, or in any dish from soup to salad. Use it instead of rice with stir fries, instead of barley in soups, instead of burghul in tabouli, instead of oats in porridge, and almost anywhere else you need a cooked grain.
As the mother goddess of the Inca religion quinoa was long suppressed by the Spaniards but with the renewal of the Inca culture and the discovery of its nutritional value it is having a strong revival.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups liquid
Bring to boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes. All liquid should be absorbed
Alternatively - bring to the boil, take off heat and leave for 15 minutes
Use water when using quinoa as a replacement for boiled rice or when strong flavours are to be added – with curries or in tabouli.
Use a stock (fish , chicken, vegetable etc) instead of water if the quinoa is to be used with mild flavours such as in a salad, kedgeree, stuffing
Use coconut milk instead of water to make a rich dessert base – puddings, cakes etc.
Return to Superfoods
| 
