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All about quinoa and quinoa recipesWhat is quinoa?Before I share my favourite quinoa recipes it might be useful to know what this strange ingredient is. Often mistakenly called a grain, quinoa is actually a seed of a herb-like plant, from the Goosefoot family.Although recently introduced to the western diet it is not a new crop. It was grown by the Incas in the South American Andes many thousands of years ago! Due to its high nutritional value they called it the Mother Grain and it was a staple part of their diet. Quinoa was ideally suited to the Andean region as it didn't mind the high altitude or poor soil.
Quinoa nutritionFrom a celiac's point of view, perhaps the greatest value of quinoa is the fact that it is a totally gluten free seed and easy to digest. When you add to that its wonderful nutritional qualities you can see why the Inca's prized it so highly.Compared to other cereals such as rice and wheat, quinoa has less fat and much more protein. In fact is is considered a "complete protein" as it contains all 8 essential amino acids necessary for our bodies growth and repair, including lysine. Most grains do contain any lysine, a protein normally only found in meat, fish and eggs, making quinoa an ideal food for gluten free vegetarians and vegans. So what is so wonderful about lysine? Lysine helps the body to produce carnitine, a substance that lowers the bad cholesterol (or LDL) in your blood. This means that eating quinoa is beneficial to those suffering from high blood pressure, anyone with cardivascular (heart) problems and postmenopausal women. Lysine also helps in the production of collagen, the protein needed for strong bones and cartilage. This is especially important to celiac sufferers, as eating gluten laden foods before they were diagnosed may lead to problems with osteoporosis, or brittle bones, in later life. Quinoa also has high levels of calcium, again beneficial to our bones, nails and teeth. When you are first diagnosed with celiac it is common to feel depressed and low levels of lysine can make this problem even worse. Eating quinoa can assist in building up these levels, which in turn may help alleviate asthma and chronic viral infections. A condition that often goes hand in hand with celiac is diabetes. To control the blood sugar levels it is important to eat foods with a low glycemic index. Quinoa has a GI value of 35 making it an ideal substitute for other grains in this situation. In addition quinoa is a high-fibre source of phosphorus, iron, magnesium, vitamin E and several B vitamins. Truly a superfood!
Cooking quinoaOne of the problems with growing many crops is keeping the birds away! Quinoa has a coating called Saponin that birds don't like, which protects it. However this coating is also distasteful to us, being bitter, and is mildly toxic.It is important to rinse and soak the seeds to remove this before using it, something that is normally done before the seed is boxed up ready for sale. However, it doesn't hurt to make sure all the saponin is removed, by tipping your quinoa into a sieve and holding it under running water for a few minutes. To serve four people you will need 1 cup/6oz/150gm of washed quinoa and two cups of water. Put the ingredients into a large saucepan (quinoa will swell to four times its volume when cooked) and season to taste with salt. Bring the pan to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. It is simple to tell when the seeds are cooked as they will turn translucent with a white edge and centre to each seed, as seen in the photo above.
Uses for quinoaThis nutritious food can be used as a substitute for rice, potatoes or pasta to accompany a meal. It can also be used in salads, stews, pilafs, stuffings and desserts. It works well as a thickener in soups and can be used to make a quinoa porridge for breakfast, served with brown sugar and dried fruit.Ground into a flour it can be used in gluten free baking. Normally it would be mixed with other flours such as sorghum, potato starch and tapioca starch to achieve a smooth, moist combination. I use quinoa flour in my favourite gluten free bread recipe. Quinoa recipes
Quinoa with sweetcorn, onions and sultanasOne of my favourite quinoa recipes, made from store-cupboard ingredients, this is really tasty.These quantities are enough to serve one person for a quick supper dish.
When the quinoa is cooked and has absorbed all the water, shake in a splash of tamari soy sauce to taste. Then stir in the fried onion, sweetcorn, and sultanas. Heat through then add the grated cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Serve and enjoy. This filling dish has a lovely cheesey, nutty flavour. I will add more quinoa recipes over the next few days, watch this space!
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