Quinoa - Tried it today!

kaykaylyn

Cooked it for breakfast this a.m. First off it didnd't pass my "smell test". I smelled it as it was cooking and didn't like how it smelled, but was determined to taste it. Put a little butter in it and took my first spoonful,,, not good. It has a bad after taste. I kept eating it though, trouper that I am, and ate about 1/2 cup and just could not finish.it. I had been looking forward to trying it for a while as it is a pretty healthy cereal with a nice amount of protein, but just didn't like it. I know there are other ways to cook it and I may try out some recipes, but right now my thinking is that I'll wind up using them in my green smoothies, so it won't go to waste.

lawmaria

i tried it a few weeks ago and i followed a recipe on the bag. did not like it at all.

deb968

I eat it for lunch or dinner. The question is did you get the kind that was already cleaned? Did the label say to soak/wash off?

I make mine using salt free chicken broth and then add fire roasted peppers and artichokes. It is the best. I LOVE it!!!

singlefemalelawyer

I usually add a package of chicken broth to the pot when cooking it, gives it a bit more taste if I want to eat it as a side, or use it with a saucy stir fry instead of rice or noodles and it kinda blends in with the rest. There are also a lot of good quinoa salad recipes on the internet that you should try. Hope this helps!

IowaJen1979

Americans eating too much quinoa is putting stress on South American residents. :-(

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/quinoa-boom-bolivian_n_2724251.html

Katey911

I don't eat it as a cereal, I eat it as a rice substitute. I've only made about three different recipes with it but they've all been fab.

TravelDog14

Had it for breakfast this morning too, but I love the stuff.

I make a big pot cooked in water and then keep it in the fridge. This morning was a serving of quinoa mixed with 6 oz of plain nonfat greek yogurt and a couple ounces of fresh blueberries mixed in. Delicious!

If I'm going to eat it hot for breakfast I cook it with either half almond milk and water or nonfat milk and water.

TravelDog14

Oh, and give it another try for breakfast. Here's a good recipe for a breakfast quinoa bowl:

http://www.theveganchickpea.com/2013/05/breakfast-quinoa-bowl.html

Or this one, a scrambled egg, spinach and quinoa scramble:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Quinoa-Egg-Scramble-Recipe-29628127/

ApocalypticFae

Did you rinse it really well before cooking it? I rinse mine for about 5 minutes, otherwise it has a sort of "soapy" aftertaste. I like mixing it with veggies and a little oil/vinegar/spices to make an awesome pasta salad.

bcattoes

I don't like hot cereals so haven't tried it that way. It's okay as a rice substitute, but I prefer brown rice. But I really love it in a salad. Just mix with other veggies with a vinaigrette dressing as you would for a couscous, pasta or other grain salad. I also add a can of rinsed drained beans to my quinoa salad to up the protein content a little more. And because I love beans.

White quinoa makes a nice substitute for bulgur in tabouleh for those that have problems with wheat.

bcattoes

Did you rinse it really well before cooking it? I rinse mine for about 5 minutes, otherwise it has a sort of "soapy" aftertaste. I like mixing it with veggies and a little oil/vinegar/spices to make an awesome pasta salad.

This ^^ is a good point. If you are not buying the pre-rinsed quinoa you need to rinse it before cooking.

curly1986

I find, like the same as rice, it needs a little help in the flavour department. I love the texture of it, and with some herbs and spices and sautéed vegetables its delicious. I personally love courgette (I think thats zuchinni to americans?) and some baby plum tomatoes, and a tiny bit of olive oil and loads of black pepper.

Morn66

Even when it says it's pre-rinsed...I rinse it again. Because the saponin does indeed taste nasty. I'm guessing that's your problem. Rinse it and try it again.

I love the stuff. I buy it in bulk, and I'll buy like 5lbs at once, so I always have plenty on hand.

kaykaylyn

Well I'm embarrassed to say I did not rinse it at all. The bag had NO instructions and I just didn't know. I'll rinse to see if it makes a difference and try some of the other suggested ways to cook it. Thanks loads!

Morn66

Well I'm embarrassed to say I did not rinse it at all. The bag had NO instructions and I just didn't know. I'll rinse to see if it makes a difference and try some of the other suggested ways to cook it. Thanks loads!

Here's my tip: The seeds are tiny, and I find that even using my finest mesh strainer that I use to rinse canned beans and such, the quinoa seeds still fell through. (It is a seed, not really a "cereal" at all.) So! I bought an aquarium net, the kind that people who keep aquariums use to scoop dead fish out of their tanks. Found a pretty big one with a really fine mesh in the pet aisle at Walmart, really cheap. Works great for rinsing a cup or so of quinoa at a time without the seeds falling through.

kiss20

I used to use it instead of rice i found it light and easy on my stomach and i didnt think it had a flavour as such i just shove my main on top of it and eat.

frugalafterfifty

I'm really glad you posted this thread. I tried it years ago and didn't like it for the same reason. Now that I rinse it, I love it. Makes a huge difference Good for others to know who may wish to try it.

suv_hater

Things that make quinoa tasty:

Coconut oil
Dill
Lemon juice
Sweet peas
Tahini
Olives
Avocado