Quinoa

[The Chili Monster]

Does nayone know of any recipes?

[funkypixie]

I just tend to steam it with a little salt and a good squeeze of lemon and serve it instead of rice - works nicely with oriental food.

Anna x

[Andy Hamilton]

I boil it for ages in gravy with some veg thrown in, never quite sure what to do with it either. Makes for a tasty snack that you can just leave cooking whilst doing something else.

[Rough Jack]

Gidday

What is it?

[Shirley]

quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), and is a grain that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America. Quinoa's origins are truly ancient. It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known, with respect, as the mother grain. We call it the "Supergrain of the Future."

More info and oodles of recipes HERE

Make sure it is rinsed off your plates before putting them in the dishwasher if you use one as the little blighters get everywhere and set like stone :)

[Sarahcook]

I tend to chuck a handful of it in with soups and stews, as it gives a different texture ti the pearl barley (which I love!)

I've had it on it's own instead of rice and wasn't desparately impressed.

[madanna]

Ha Ha I knew I had it somewhere lol - I have just spent 20 mins on my hands and knees in the spare room rooting through the mess that is my hiding cupboard to find the 'Facial anaylsis diet' book - the diet itself is rubbbih and left me suicidal from hunger within the first 12 hours BUT it did feature buckwheat and quinoea bread lol!!!!!! (see there was a point to my ramble lol!)

Ok it says - Mix 1 tbsp of buckwheat flour or flakes with 1 cup of organic oats and 1 tbsp of quineoa flour or flakes and blend the mixture with a little water until it has reached a thick and creamy consistansy. Pour into a large shallow ovenproof dish (greased with unsalted butter) and bake in a warm oven for about 20 mins.

or oats 1/2 a cup and quineoa 1/2 a cup mix and cook as above


Anna x

[Dave]

I mix Quinoa with brown rice, raisons and stock with a pinch of coriander powder, chilli and cumin and have it with a curry. Or in the summer put it in a salad with lots of dressing. Aparently you can grow it in the UK so I might even give it a go if I can get my hands on some seeds - it should look nice growing as well.

[Chickpea]

Quinoa is a grain like rice but it contains huge amounts of protein, not just starch, so it's one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

My favourite way to cook it is to melt a big knob of butter in a large pan with a close fitting lid. Then heave in a generous handful of quinoa, put the lid on, and rattle it around occasionally. The quinoa will pop like popcorn, only very very tiny, and when it's done you can slather it in lots of salt and eat is with a spoon as a hot salty buttery snack.

[funkypixie]

Chickpea - that sound soooo good! Just my sort of snack.

[Boots]

The healthiest snack...


Dave.... DAVE...!!!! Can I have confirmation on that cooking method please????

...Am getting a second opinion from our resident nutritionist on that one, Chickpea!!! That is some freaky salty buttery health you got goin on there girl...

[caithnesscrofter]

Quinoa is a grain like rice but it contains huge amounts of protein, not just starch, so it's one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

My favourite way to cook it is to melt a big knob of butter in a large pan with a close fitting lid. Then heave in a generous handful of quinoa, put the lid on, and rattle it around occasionally. The quinoa will pop like popcorn, only very very tiny, and when it's done you can slather it in lots of salt and eat is with a spoon as a hot salty buttery snack.

that sounds SSOOO good... will have to try.. I love popped anything and everything.

[Muddypause]

My favourite way to cook it is to melt a big knob of butter in a large pan with a close fitting lid. Then heave in a generous handful of quinoa, put the lid on, and rattle it around occasionally. The quinoa will pop like popcorn, only very very tiny, and when it's done you can slather it in lots of salt and eat is with a spoon as a hot salty buttery snack.

Well I bought both red and white quinoa at the local organic market the other day, with the sole intention of trying this.

I couldn't get it to do the popcorn thing at all, even on a mini scale. I just ended up with a toasted sticky mess at the bottom of the pan.

But I did later cook some as I would rice. Pretty nice, though a little bland.

[funkypixie]

I tried it too today - it popped like space dust! And it was lovely!

Could expand my waistline if I carry on buying it though.....

Thanks Chickpea

Anna x

[Muddypause]

Do the seeds puff up like mini popcorn, or do they just hop about a bit like when you toast sunflower or pumpkin seeds in a pan?

I'll give it another go and see if I have more success.