September 2009 Archives

I hope you have all run to the grocery store to purchase some Quinoa! I actually was able to find the red version in one of our local grocery stores here in Winston-Salem! Today's post has a reminder of why Quinoa is so good for you and how you can incorporate it into your diet.

Nutrition Facts:

Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") was referred to as the "mother of all grains" by the Incas of the Andean region of South America. Quinoa's nutrition profile includes:

• gluten free
  
• high in protein, it contains a nearly perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids, making quinoa a complete protein food!
• good source of iron
  
• relatively good source of vitamin E and several B vitamins.
  

Quinoa is exceptionally high in the amino acids lysine, cystine, and methionine which are usually are typically low in other grains and legumes. For more nutrition facts on Quinoa, be sure to check out my previous post: Quinoa: Facts and Recipes Part I.

Cooking Tips:

For those who have never cooked quinoa, this will help guide you with some tips on how to cook it:

• Before cooking, quinoa seeds should be rinsed to remove the bitter resinlike coating. Although quinoa is rinsed before it is packaged and sold, it is advisable to place the seed in a strainer and rinse again at home before use to remove any remaining residue.
• Quinoa has high oil content, so it should be stored in the fridge to avoid becoming rancid
• Quinoa is coated with saponin, which will give it a bitter taste unless you rinse it thoroughly. Sometimes quinoa has had the saponin removed, which makes life easier.
• It's better to soak quinoa 15 min - 1/2 hour before cooking, to loosen the saponin, but if you don't have much time, try five minutes in hot water, and an extra rinse or two.
• Excellent alternative to white rice or couscous.
• Serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries. 
• Add to soups instead of rice or barley.
• Quinoa flour can be used in wheat-based and Gluten free baking.
  

Almond Cranberry Quinoa

Ingredients:

    * 1 cup quinoa
    * 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds
    * 1 veggie bullion cube
    * 1 1/2 cups boiling water
    * 1/2 tsp salt
    * 1 cinnamon stick
    * 1 bay leaf
    * 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Soak the quinoa 15 minutes in cold water  
2. Stir the quinoa with your hand, pour off most of the water and drain through a fine mesh strainer
3. Shake dry in the strainer, then set the strainer over a bowl or pitcher
4. Heat a wide bottomed pan on medium heat.
5. Stir and toast the sliced almonds until golden, then remove from pan
6. Add the quinoa. Stir and toast until dry and turning color
7. Add boiling water, veggie cube, salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick
8. Bring back to boil, cover, turn the heat to simmer, cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed
9. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on
10. Fluff gently with a fork and serve.

Feel free to share your favorite Quinoa recipe!
- Julie

I bet quite a few of you have been wondering what's up with quinoa (prounounced "Keen-Wah"). Quinoa has become popular over the last few years because it has more protein than any other member of the grain family. In fact, it can contain up to 50% more protein than common grains and is higher in many other nutrients as well!

Quinoa: Whole Grain or Not?

Interestingly, quinoa is considered a "pseudograin".  Pseudograins, like aramanth, flaxseed and buckwheat, are technically not grains as they come from a broad leaf plant.  Our more familiar wheat, corn, rice and oat grains come from a grass plant.

Quinoa is actually a fruit! However, nutritionists still consider it a grain and in its unprocessed form is considered a whole grain.

Nutrient Profile of Quinoa

There are many different varieties of this grain including white, sweet, red and black. Although different varieties will have slightly different nutrition, they are all a great source of protein at over 8g per cooked cup, which is 16% of the daily value!

Quinoa also contains:

• Saponins (a phytochemical)
• 15% of the daily value for Iron
• 5 g fiber per cooked cup
• 30% of daily value for magnesium
• 28% of daily value for phosphorus
• 58% of daily value for manganese
• 18% of daily value for folate
  
• > 10% of daily value for thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin b6, zinc and copper

Cancer Dietitian's Favorite Quinoa Recipe:

This is my favorite Quinoa recipe. I must admit, I got it from Whole Foods! You can alter the ingredients however you want!

Quinoa Salad:
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 cup cooked corn
1 1/2 cups cooked and chilled quinoa
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced jicama

(if you don't know what this is, ask your produce person! You will need to cut off the skin before slicing it, and it adds a great crunch!)

1/2 cup walnut halves & pieces, toasted

(or not toasted)

2/3 cup Feta cheese crumbles 

(if you like feta; I personally leave this out)

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced

(check the pickled section)

Chipotle Ranch dressing

(I buy the 365 brand; it complements the other ingredients and renders a great flavor!)

3 cups washed and dried spinach

Instructions:
To prepare corn, take 2 ears corn, grilled in husk, then cut free from cob (sometimes I just heat frozen corn!)
To prepare quinoa, boil with 2:1 water to quinoa, just like rice

Gently toss corn, cooked quinoa, black beans, jicama, walnuts, feta cheese and roasted peppers together with about 2/3 cup dressing in a large bowl. Arrange spinach on a large platter and top with quinoa mixture.

Enjoy!! Next article I will have more on quinoa and how you can use it in your existing recipes!

- Julie