Quinoa

About 12 years ago, Quinoa was first introduced into the United States in Colorado.  It is a high-altitude grain.

The first time I heard about quinoa was at the Craftwood Inn, a restaurant in Manitou Springs, where they served a quinoa pilaf as a side dish with each entree.  I loved it and attempted to learn everything I could about this super grain.

Of all the whole grains, quinoa is the most nutritious and is called a supergrain because its nutritional profile may make it a human survival food.  Dr. Duane Johnson, the New Crops Agronomist at CSU has been widely quoted, “If I had to choose one food to survive on, quinoa would be the best.” It has a high level of lysine, an amino acid which is deficient in other grains.  It is at least equal to milk in protein quality.

Most people who are allergic to other grains are not allergic to quinoa.  One of the reasons, it is not classified as a grain, but is related to spinach, beets and chard. Quinoa is a grain that can help in protecting us from our very radioactive environment.  Quinoa was used as a medicine in the Andes and was even called a holy food by some because of its healing properties.  Quinoa is almost a high-endurance food.  Tristan Jones, who spent seven months sailing on the Andes Lake reported, “I had often seen...the Indians standing in the freezing waters of the Lake, fishing for hours on end when I could barely even keep my hand in the same water for more than a minute...the Andes Indians surpass any other race I’ve ever been in contact with...for hardiness... ”  Quinoa is their staple food.

So, how do you cook it?

We used to have to wash all of our quinoa.  Now Ancient Harvest produces washed quinoa, which you can also sprout.

Conventional Method:
Place 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of boiling water.  Turn down the heat and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes. 
You can tell the quinoa is thoroughly cooked when it becomes translucent and the crescent-shaped germ separates and becomes white.  It looks like a little tail.  After the quinoa has been cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. 

Pressure cooking:
Place 1 cup of quinoa, a dash of salt and 1 Tbsp. oil into 1½ cups of boiling water.  Place lid on the pressure cooker. Bring to 8 pounds of pressure.  Turn down heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.  Let the pressure release naturally and you will have perfectly cooked quinoa.

Quinoa can be used for breakfast, served with fruit or with maple syrup.  It can be used in a pilaf with sautéed onions and peppers.  You can stuff baked potatoes with quinoa, corn and chopped peppers or chili’s.  You can use quinoa in salads and even place a cup or 2 of cooked quinoa in your bread.  You can also mix it with millet and sunflower seeds.  You can stuff squash with a pilaf mixture.  Most of us are limiting our intake of dairy products, but a little cheese melted over the stuffed baked potatoes or stuffed squash make it a very special treat.
 

Chicken Salad with Quinoa, Grapes and Cashews

4 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked, cubed chicken
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup cashews, halved
1 medium red onion, chopped

Mix together with an oil and vinegar or raspberry dressing. Arrange on a crisp bed of lettuce and garnish with orange or avocado slices.

For centuries, quinoa was the staple food of South American peoples.  Rebecca Wood’s excellent book will provide you with all the wonderful history of quinoa as well as a great variety of recipes.