Quinoa

The Quinoa is a seed with such beneficial properties for the human organism, which is considered a superfood. We can include it in any healthy diet, as a dressing for any dish, which means an extra supply of proteins with a high content of iron, magnesium and fiber. Plus, it’s incredibly quick and easy to cook.

We can consume this food regularly. In fact, a good proposal is to cook a large pot on the weekends and eat it throughout the week with curries, grilled vegetables or stewed meat.

What is quinoa?

Cultivated in the Andean mountain range for more than 5,000 years , it has been called “the mother of grain” and “the gold of the Incas.” It is actually a seed, although it is used in much the same way as grains. Its popularity has grown in recent times, as people have discovered its pleasant nutty flavor and superfood qualities .

This seed has come a long way in recent years, from the back corners of some organic food stores or even herbalists, to the shelves of large supermarket chains.

Its high protein content , sweet and nutty taste, and delicate texture have made it a popular substitute for pasta and rice.

It is one of the most delicious lunch staples and is also quick to cook . Here’s how to cook it, not mushy or bitter, but delicate and perfectly fluffy.

What type to buy?

There are about 1,800 varieties , but three of them are the most commercialized: the white, the black and the red. The white has the most neutral flavor : it is advisable to start with this type if we have never tried it before. Red and black have their own personalities and a slightly earthier flavor than white. They are fun in salads or other dishes where their color stands out.

The standard cooking method described below works for any type.

Why rinse it?

The natural coating on this food is called saponin. It can make cooked grain taste bitter or soapy. Fortunately, it is easy to get rid of this coating simply with a rinse just before cooking.

If this product is packaged, it is usually not necessary to rinse it, but it does not hurt to give it a little wash. Although some cookbooks suggest soaking it, in our experience this is unnecessary.

Simple recipes with quinoa

In cooking, it can be used like any other grain, rice or barley. It’s a great side to almost any meal, especially if you make it with broth and add a bay leaf to the pot. It can also be used in meat stews and salads.

Salads

Mixing cooked quinoa with our favorite vegetables is one of the easiest ways to eat it in a tasty and healthy way .

Whether in a Mediterranean salad with cucumbers and chickpeas or with coriander, roasted corn and jalapeños for a Mexican touch, it pairs well with anything and adds a special touch, with a pleasant taste and texture.

Burritos

A burrito is another way to add this ingredient to our diet, using it to replace rice. After cooking about a cup of this grain, we sauté the rest of the vegetables that we want to wrap, which can be spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes.

Then we must shake and roll the mixture into three or four whole wheat tortillas with sauce and beans and bake for about 15 minutes. Before we know it, we’ll have enough protein- and vitamin-filled burritos to eat for most of the week.

Chicken Nuggets

We cook the nuggets, sprinkling them with cold grain of this product, so that it adheres to the chicken. Garlic powder is great with nuggets because it distributes the flavor evenly, unlike minced garlic.

This dish is ideal for the little ones in the house to get used to eating this seed and its peculiar flavor.

Melted cheese and broccoli

Instead of using white rice, we used some grains of quinoa, which we spread over the other ingredients in this recipe: cheese and broccoli, poured into a clay plate. Then we gratin the cheese. To add more flavor to the bean, we can roast it. We serve alongside a simple lettuce salad.

Throw imagination

Sausages with egg sautéed with this grain, hamburgers, dried cherries and pistachios, soup or sauces of all kinds, the truth is that the possibilities are endless to include the extra touch of flavor and originality that this superfood represents.

Cooking is imagination and a healthy diet requires even more being creative and thinking of new culinary solutions. The positive point is that quinoa, in addition to being a superfood, is one of the most versatile ingredients that can be used to eat healthily.