Quinoa

Posted by Nikki Young

March 14, 2008

Quinoa (pronounced, keen-wah) is a seed that’s part of the spinach family. Qunioa is close to one of the most complete foods in nature as it is more easily digestible by the body, is high in protein, fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and phosphorus.

Quinoa is cooked like a grain, and can be eaten like a grain; it can be a healthier alternative to many rice dishes, while also adding more variety into meals. Quinoa when cooked is light, fluffy and slightly crunchy with a subtly flavoured nut taste.

Most grains, with the exception to millet, amaranth and buckwheat, are difficult to digest and feed the bad bacteria in our intestines. Quinoa actually does the opposite, it is easy to digest by the body, allowing for optimal absorption of nutrients, and acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in our intestines.

Quinoa is also almost completely gluten-free; Quinoa contains a small make up of nutrients which can act as gluten when in the body. If you are a super sensitive celiac you may want to avoid Quinoa, or be cautious of this when eating it. Buckwheat, which I mentioned above also contains slight traces of gluten, so again if you’re a highly sensitive celiac, be cautious when consuming.

When cooking Quinoa, be sure to rinse and soak for at least 8hrs to remove the phytic acid that can prevent proper digestion. Boil Quinoa in water for 10-15min and it’s ready to go!

Below are a couple of my favourite Quinoa recipes. I have used white Quinoa for one and red Quinoa for the other (there is also black Quinoa). Red Quinoa is slightly more fibrous than white Quinoa which is a different variety (it’s not an un-processed version for white Quinoa).

Garlic and Parsley Quinoa

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white Quinoa
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2tbs olive oil
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Salt
Olive oil
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Instructions

Lightly fry chopped garlic in 2tbs of olive oil for 2-3min, or until slightly golden. Place in a bowl along with Quinoa, chilli, parsley, salt and additional olive oil, combine well.