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QUINOA

What is fabulous about quinoa  (pronounced Keen-wah) is that cooks like a grain but it is actually new world seed! 

This seedy fact  gives us a clue as to it's high nutritional value-- seeds are much more power- packed than regular old carbohydrate laden grains like wheat.

Quinoa contains:

• high levels of protein , B vitamins, the amino acid lysine (hard to find in the vegetarian diet) , iron, and  potassium (the mineral that is an electrolyte, important for fluid balance and heart health).

HOW TO PREP QUINOA?:    1:2 quinoa: water  ratio for 20 mins.

•   *rinse first (because of the saponin resin on the outside of the kernals) -- this is  a bitter coating the seed produces to keep birds from pecking away at it (it does look like birdseed) 

Quinoa  is  wonderful as:

•  a fluffy warm breakfast cereal, (see amaranth breakfast pudding, and substitute quinoa instead 1c : 2 c water) 
•  a grain side dish instead of rice, 
• in pilafs and salads: see recipe for:  quinoa tabouli
• in loaves,
• an addition to baked goods: In baking I use it a lot – as you would use oatmeal, (ie in cookies)   but use less because it is more concentrated. 

I also  make a gorgeous quinoa soufflé (photo above)