My Beloved Quinoa...Something about quinoa (pronounced keen' wah) makes me feel like reciting poetry. Perhaps its all the creative times we've had together? This grain (actually a seed, but let's not get too technical, here), is originally from the South American Andes. The name, if I remember correctly, is a spanish derivation of the Mayan name. And the Incas had their own name for it, which meant "great mother of all grains." Sorry, I'm not too fluent in ancient Incan, so I don't know what that word actually was. ;)
Because of its high mountain heritage, it's fairly hardy crop, and can be grown in a variety of climates. The leaves are actually edible as well as the seed head, but there's not much of a market for them in modern society, so unless you grow it yourself, you're not likely to encounter these. Like all grains/seeds, there are several varieties available, depending on your location. My favorite that I've tried is the red one, as it's got a nuttier flavor and looks so gorgeous in all types of dishes. And, as it's a seed, it's especially high in protein. It's also high in amino acids and, is a good source of iron & magnesium.* Quinoa is really easy to prepare, and incredibly versatile. It's best to soak it first, for a couple of hours, then strain and boil one part grain to 2 parts water, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until water is all absorbed and there are mini craters on the surface. You can then add it to any number of dishes, from soups and stir-fries, to salads and side dishes. It's a great substitute for cous cous or bulgur wheat in cold salads and ethnic dishes. One of my favorite qualities of this wonderfood is that it is an incredibly fast sprouter. You can soak it in water for a few hours, strain, then leave out to sprout, and the whole process is finished in less than 24 hours (as opposed to other grains or pulses/legumes, which can take days). This is a great way to eat it without having to cook it at all, which retains all the nutrients, vitamins and proteins to its maximum capacity. You can then use it in an infinite number of raw summer salads. Oh, one more thing to mention, is that, being so high in protein makes this a great option for a breakfast food. Again, just substitute it for your favorite hot cereal (in my case I sub it for oatmeal, as I'm not a huge porridge fan). It'll keep you warm and energized for hours to come. Want to know even more about this fabulous grain?
Check out Mimi's great vegetarian food site - there's a whole section on quinoa!
*Greg Schlick and David L. Bubenheim (November 1993). "Quinoa: An Emerging "New" Crop with Potential for CELSS (NASA Technical Paper 3422)" Go from Quinoa back to Healthy Food List
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