Quinoa may be hard to pronounce, but it is quick and easy to cook. Quinoa is a super grain full of complete protein and fiber. It substitutes well for rice in many recipes. Try making quinoa with sautéed vegetables, as a side dish for meat, or as the base of a tabouli style salad. Below is a simple recipe for basic quinoa.
- Soak quinoa in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Rinse and drain quinoa thoroughly and place in a pot with water. (The quinoa to water ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 1 ½ cups water if soaked and rinsed, or 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water if pre-rinsed as would be noted on the package).
- Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You will see small holes appear on the top of the quinoa.
- Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 more minutes. Fluff lightly with a fork and serve.
Notes:
- It’s best to cook quinoa with the lid tightly covered throughout the cooking. Check it at 10 minutes and return the lid if the water is not absorbed yet.
- You can also cook quinoa in a rice cooker. Just follow the directions for the rice cooker, using slightly less water.
- You may be asking yourself, why do you need to soak and rinse quinoa before making it? It's because you want to remove the saponins that coat the quinoa seeds and cause a bitter, unpalatable taste. Soaking and rinsing the quinoa removes the saponins, making it more digestible and giving the quinoa a milder and much more appealing taste. Some packaged quinoa has already gone through this process and it would be noted on the package, but most quinoa bought in bulk has not.
- Substituting water with chicken broth or vegetable broth when cooking quinoa will improve the flavor of the quinoa.
- Quinoa is a nutritious gluten free grain alternative for thos with gluten or wheat intolerance.
