Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is the edible seed from the quinoa plant, a plant related to spinach and chard. Although technically a seed, it is normally classified as a grain since its appearance is similar to the grains we are familiar with.
Photo compliments of user sweetonveg flikr.com
What is so special about it?
- Complete protein because it contains all 9 essential amino acids, including lysine – a protein normally only found in animal products. This makes it an excellent choice for vegetarians/vegans.
- High in Calcium & Manganese which work to reduce fatigue levels, bone loss, menstrual flow, and speed up the recovery of bone fractures.
- No Gluten - quonia is gluten free, so it’s a great choice for gluten intolerant people to eat. Most people also find quinoa is easy to digest.
- Easy to Prepare – cooks in 15 minutes. Can easily tell when it is done cooking because the seeds turn translucent and show a small white thread perimeter (germ).
- Light Weight - the seed is tiny & light weight, making it the perfect staple for backpacking.
- Variety of Uses – incoporate in dishes as you would rice or noodles with various spices and vegetables, add to soups, eat as a breakfast porridge, as a side dish, a dessert, add the flakes/flour to salad and smoothies. Quinoa boosts the nutritional content of almost any dish while giving it a mild and nutty flavor.
For a richer flavor, toast the quinoa for a few minutes in a dry skillet before cooking.
Do I need to rinse my Quinoa?
When the quinoa seed grows it protects itself from insects and wildlife by coating itself with a bitter substance called saponine. Most of the quinoa sold in North America has been pre-rinsed to remove this substance. Therefore, rising is not normally necessary.
Backpacking with Quinoa
Many hikers like Quinoa, but do not want to carry it out because it takes upwards of 15 minutes to fully cook. Outdoor Herbivore’s Instant Organic Quinoa has been rinsed, lightly toasted, steamed, then dehydrated at 115 degrees to provide you the fastest cooking Quinoa on the market! Just add the desired amount to boiled water and rest 5 minutes!
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You choice of food impacts much more than your own health. It impacts the health of our environment too.
May you consume wisely,
Kim Safdy,
Outdoor Herbivore
