I started eating Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) 20+ years ago when I was studying at UC Davis and I still love it today. It’s high in protein (12-18 %), and is a complete protein unlike wheat, rice or corn which are low in certain specific amino acids. It’s a nice substitute for grains, even though it is technically not a grain but botanically closer to spinach or beets. It comes from the Incas, taken from wild plants and cultivated, it fed many native people south of the US border before the Europeans showed up.

Although it’s free of gluten, you don’t have to be on a gluten free diet to enjoy it. It has a I light and fluffy yet crunchy texture, and takes on the flavor of whatever you use to season it. I also like that it’s rich source of minerals, especially Magnesium, which is low in most american diets.

Cooking and Buying Quinoa

Make sure that when you cook it that you wash it well. I use a fine sieve, as it’s a small grain and will go right through a strainer. It has a naturally bitter coating which keeps birds away in the fields, but won’t taste good to you if you don’t wash it. If the quinoa you buy isn’t bitter, it’s been pre-processed. I’d rather wash it myself. You also might want to cook it with some broth or salted (sea salt) water, as it tastes better that way, and won’t have the same flavor if you add sea salt later.

So try some organic quinoa, yes, shipped from far away, but this is an exception to my rule of buying local foods in season. You can buy it at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and even at Costco in a big bag. Here’s a link to a recipe that looks pretty good to me, and can be adapted to whatever season you’re in. Enjoy!

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Yours in Health,