Quinoa is one of the top Superfoods
Monday, February 23rd, 2009    Subscribe To Our FeedTerrific New eBook On How To Broil Delicious Foods You mat not be familiar with Quinoa but it has been enjoyed by the peoples of South America for thousands of years. It is still grown mainly in Bolivia and Ecuador although farmers in the southern states of the USA are now growing quinoa as it becomes more and more popular. It seems to be widely available over the counter in most food shops now. If not you can always buy it online. What is quinoa? Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns Although it is most definitely a seed quinoa is usually included with grains for cooking purposes. It is actually a seed from a plant that is related to Spinach and Chard. You can eat the leaves as well as the seeds. Beause the quinoa leaves do not stay fresh for long you can only get them where the quinoa is grown. The seed version however is increasing in production and is recognised by nutritionists as one of the most beneficial foods in terms of mineral and vitamin content. What is Quinoa Like? Quinoa seeds are quite small and have a hard shell to them. There are different varieties but the most common one is the creamy white type. Red and black quinoa is much rarer. They come in dry packs of 500g or 1kg ready for you to cook. You can use them as a replacement for rice or cous cous. This doesn’t mean it is bland and uninteresting – far from it. It has a taste and original texture of its own. How do you cook Quinoa? Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns To cook quinoa the easiest way you take some water and quinoa in a saucepan and bring it to the boil on the hob. The proportions for cooking are 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. You will find that the water goes into the quinoa and it should need draining. Sometimes the slightly bitter saponin coating has not been removed. You will need to get rid of this coating by running the quinoa under a tap for a minute or two. Nearly all the quinoa you cn buy now has been rinsed before packing but its better to be sure. You can replace your favourite rice dishes with the finished quinoa. You can also include it salads and soups. It takes on the flavour of the foods you cook it with and adds it own little bite to the taste. When the quinoa is cooked you get a little “tail” that is the germ of the seed. This has a very pleasant crunch to it when you eat it. It has been thought of as having a nutty feel and taste. I’m not sure I agree but quinoa does taste good. Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns You can microwave quinoa and put it in casseroles as a thickening agent. You can also find quinoa flour and quinoa flakes that you can bake with. The flour is not like wheat flour and you need to use your ingenuity to use it properly. What is special about Quinoa? Quinoa is almost unparalled in the world of seeds and grains. Firstly it is gluten free so for people who need to avoid gluten it is a great addition to their diet. Vegans and vegetarians eat it to give them the amino acids that quinoa contains. Because it realeases the carbs slowly over time it is know to benefit a number of food related health problems. Put your money to work for you by learning where to invest it for the best returns
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