“Grown in South America (Peru, Chile and Bolivia) for thousands of years, quinoa formed the staple diet of the Incas and their descendants. In recent years, foodies in the UK and the US have heralded it as a superior alternative to bulgur wheat, couscous and rice. Though it often occupies a similar role to these grains in dishes, quinoa is actually in the same family as beets, chard and spinach.”

– Jo Lewin, Nutritional therapist

Quinoa Salad

PREPARE QUINOA

• Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa (any variety — white or golden, red, or black)
  • Olive oil, optional
  • 2 cups water or broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Instructions
  1. Rinse the quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer with cool water for about 2 minutes. Rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing. Drain.
  2. Toast quinoa in saucepan (optional):
     Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the drained quinoa. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to let the water evaporate and toast the quinoa.
  3. Add liquid and bring to a rolling boil.
  4. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
  5. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
  6. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork, and serve.
     *If any liquid remains in the bottom of the pan or if the quinoa is still a bit crunchy, return the pot to low heat and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

PREPARE SALAD

1. Mix a variety of greens (lettuce, cabbage, kale, spinach) of your choice
2. Add the quinoa
3. Mix in carrots à la Julienne and halved cherry tomatoes
4. Toss some feta cheese (optional)
5. Make a basic dressing with apple cider vinegar, lemon, olive oil and spices/herbs of your choice and Enjoy!

QUINOA TIPS
by The Kitchn

• 1 cup dry quinoa = 3 cups cooked quinoa
• To cook 1 cup quinoa, you need about 2 cups liquid.
• 1 cup quinoa will cook in about 20 minutes.
• Nearly, if not all, of the natural bitterness of quinoa’s outer coating can be removed by a vigorous rinsing in a mesh strainer.
• Quinoa is really excellent when cooked in vegetable or chicken broth. Also, add about 1/4 teaspoon salt to each cup dried quinoa when cooking. Try adding other spices and aromatics during cooking as well, like a clove of smashed garlic, a sprig of fresh rosemary, or a dash of black pepper.
• You can use your rice cooker to make quinoa. Just use the 2:1 liquid-to-quinoa ratio and follow the instructions on your rice cooker.

QUINOA BENEFITS
by Medical News Today

Is naturally gluten-free and contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber. It is one of only a few plant foods that are considered a complete protein and comprised of all pernine essential amino acids.Quinoa also has a high protein to carbohydrate ratio when compared to other grain products. It was proposed by NASA to be an ideal food for long duration space flights.