Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is my all time favorite grain and I just can't get enough of it. Hailing from South America, this grain packs a powerful nutritional punch and it's delicious. Slightly nutty in flavor, quinoa boasts lots of protein and in fact, it's a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. What's more, it contains magnesium, mangense and iron, not to mention heart-healthy fiber.
There are numerous advantages to eating whole grains - they are low in fat, nutrient-rich, help lower cholesterol, and help fight many forms of cancer including breast and colon cancer. But whole grains like quinoa are also helpful when it comes to weight loss. As a complex carbohydrate they actually help fill you up, so you're less likely to mindlessly eat other things, and they release slowly in your system, giving you lasting energy.
I love eating quinoa for breakfast, as a side dish or as a snack. It cooks in about 15 minutes so it's very quick as grains go. And it works especially well for me as I'm sensitive to wheat and quinoa is gluten-free. The other night I made a pot of quinoa and added some fresh pesto that I made to it for a yummy side dish for a dinner party we had.
Here's one of my favorite quinoa recipes that I think is just scrumptious:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
½ tsp. sea salt
zest from two oranges
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup raisins
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or canned organic chickpeas)
1 ½ pounds spinach leaves that have been trimmed, washed, dried and chopped (about 6 cups)
salt to taste
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1 orange, cut into wedges
Rinse the quinoa well and drain in a fine-mesh sieve. Combine water and orange juice and bring to a boil in a 1-½ or 2 quart saucepan. Add the salt, orange zest, and the rinsed quinoa. Return to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes to fluff up.
While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Add raisins, chickpeas and spinach. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Adjust heat if necessary. Drain any excess water after cooking the spinach. Season to taste with salt.
Combine the vegetables into the quinoa. Stir in cinnamon. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and orange wedges.
Have you tried quinoa before? What do you think? What are some ways you like to eat it? Please share your thoughts.
Wendy
If you're a fan of Hungry Girl, like I am, and you live in Los Angeles or San Diego, she'll be in town this week signing her new book: Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World.
