Quinoa (KEEN-wah)!

Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is delicious. Although it is gaining popularity quickly, many people are still unaware of its amazing existence.

Photo courtesy of MindBodyGreen

Many think quinoa is a grain (you can tell from the photo of uncooked quinoa, it looks like a grain), but it is actually a “chenopod” (leafy green vegetables) and is closely related to spinach, beets, chard and other things that are super-good for you. Quinoa was once “the gold of the Incas” and has recently been making a resurgence in the health food type circles (understandably, considering its impressive credentials).

Quinoa is extremely high in protein. Not only that, but it supplies a complete protein, which means it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids (this is rare amongst plant foods). It is also a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. All of this and it is still fairly low in calories (about 200 per cup - cooked).

Quinoa is available in a variety of colors, the ones seen most often are red, black and off-white. Typically it can be found near the rice or in the bulk aisle of most stores. It is really easy to prepare, similar to rice or couscous. Simply rinse the quinoa in a strainer and then add one part quinoa to two parts water (or other liquid), bring to a boil and simmer. It typically takes 10-15 minutes for quinoa to cook. You can also roast the quinoa before cooking, to give it a nuttier flavor. 

Photo courtesy of The Cooker

So why have I told you all of this? Because I just had a delicious breakfast that starred quinoa in the main role, but often when I talk of this amazing food people stare at me blankly. Now you know.

My breakfast: I will call this a quinoa scramble. It has some room for improvement, but it turned out pretty tasty (which is good, since I have two more servings in the fridge). Basically I cooked quinoa (simply boiled - about 1/2 cup). I also sautéed some red bell pepper and red onion, along with some veggie breakfast sausage (I used Morningstar Farms). I then mixed in the quinoa and eggs (1 full egg, 3 egg whites) and scrambled it all together with some garlic powder and cayenne. Pretty yummy and savory! When I make this again (which I certainly will) I will scramble the eggs BEFORE I put in the quinoa – they got a little lost in the mix…