Have you tried quinoa or orzo?

Kcham817

I love rice however I haven't had any in 3 wks. I'm going through withdrawal right now and I've heard that quinoa and orzo are good rice substitutes. How do they taste? Just wondering if I could get a healthy fix from these options..

emchamberlain

Orzo is pasta, so it has the same nutritional value as any other white pasta. Quinoa has a very different taste and texture from rice. It's really nutty and chewy. I think that brown rice is a great, healthy option.

Kcham817

Oh for some I reason I thought orzo had more nutrional value. Thanks for the description on the quinoa. I like brown rice but I was also looking for other options to mix up when I get bored.

sdgirl22

Quinoa was awesome! It's a small grain, so it's more like couscous than rice. I'm not sure how to describe the flavor... Orzo is a pasta rather than a whole grain, so not as healthy from that perspective, but it has a mellow flavor and a texture/shape more similar to rice. Both are really tasty

Kcham817

Thanks for the description. This may be a silly question: do you prepare the quinoa just as you would rice?

kezereth

Quinoa is lovely. It has a lovely earthy almost nutty flavour. It's a bit softer than cous cous, but certainly is a suitable substitute for rice. give it a try, it's yummy

You boil it in water just like rice. You cook it until the little white 'dot' in the middle of the grain dissapears. When you try to cook it, you'll see what i mean.

jessieinblue

Quinoa is lovely. It has a lovely earthy almost nutty flavour. It's a bit softer than cous cous, but certainly is a suitable substitute for rice. give it a try, it's yummy

You boil it in water just like rice. You cook it until the little white 'dot' in the middle of the grain dissapears. When you try to cook it, you'll see what i mean.

Don't forget to rinse it in cold water first! Otherwise it will taste bitter.

Quinoa is indeed lovely and very good for you.

jemmur

I don't think quinoa tastes very strongly of anything but I can see where the nutty comments come from. I really like the texture - there's a bit more bite to it than rice.... or maybe it's just easier not to overcook?!

Chefeiram

Quinoa is a flavorful grain that is a staple of Gluten Free kitchens. Wonderful flavor hight protein high fiber. very versatile and easy to cook. Other grains to consider are Teff, Amaranth, Buckwheat. You may not have to live gluten free but a little looking at other grains used in gluten free diet may provide inspiration.

kelfelbel

I cook my quinoa in chicken stock/broth and it comes out really great. I will warn you that it can be deceiving-looking, portion-wise. 1/4 cup of dry quinoa is a perfect single serving. I typically serve roasted veggies over mine. Hope you try and enjoy!

tameekag

Quinoa is good. I agree that it has a nutty, earthy flavor. I cooked it in chicken broth instead of water for more flavor and I mixed in fresh spinach and some feta cheese. I don't consider it to be a substitute for rice though. When I want rice...I want rice. :laugh:

I eat brown rice (I love it)..I just try to have no more than 1/4 cup and I don't have it very often. One of my favorite lunches is brown rice, brocoli and chicken breast. Easy and quick...I have frozen bags of each. I measure out a serving of meat/veg/rice and I steam it all in a bag in the microwave.

Let us know if you try the quinoa!

Kcham817

Quinoa is lovely. It has a lovely earthy almost nutty flavour. It's a bit softer than cous cous, but certainly is a suitable substitute for rice. give it a try, it's yummy

You boil it in water just like rice. You cook it until the little white 'dot' in the middle of the grain dissapears. When you try to cook it, you'll see what i mean.

Thanks it very helpful

Kcham817

I cook my quinoa in chicken stock/broth and it comes out really great. I will warn you that it can be deceiving-looking, portion-wise. 1/4 cup of dry quinoa is a perfect single serving. I typically serve roasted veggies over mine. Hope you try and enjoy!

Thanks I'm getting a lot of ideas already. Good to know I don't have to prepare it plain.

nyctraveler

Also - try Red Quinoa to mix it up once in a while - I heard it is even better nutrition wise. I've seen it at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc.

Kcham817

Quinoa is good. I agree that it has a nutty, earthy flavor. I cooked it in chicken broth instead of water for more flavor and I mixed in fresh spinach and some feta cheese. I don't consider it to be a substitute for rice though. When I want rice...I want rice. :laugh:

I eat brown rice (I love it)..I just try to have no more than 1/4 cup and I don't have it very often. One of my favorite lunches is brown rice, brocoli and chicken breast. Easy and quick...I have frozen bags of each. I measure out a serving of meat/veg/rice and I steam it all in a bag in the microwave.

Let us know if you try the quinoa!

Thanks, great idea to use the broth instead of water (hopefully the sodium isn't too high). I love rice (seriously ate it everyday) but I'm trying to control myself from it for some time. Brown rice is good, maybe I prepare too bland and it's always mushy when I make it:ohwell:. Yup I'll def give an update when I try it.

Kcham817

Also - try Red Quinoa to mix it up once in a while - I heard it is even better nutrition wise. I've seen it at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc.

Red Quinoa thanks I'll look into that.

emchamberlain

Here is one of my favorite quinoa recipes:


Quinoa Casserole

1 1/2 C uncooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
3c chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 sliced almonds
1/3c dried cranberries

Rinse quinoa, dump everything in slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on low or 2-4 on high. (I did 2 on high and it came out great.)

When the quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork, then stir in:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup crumbled feta
handful of baby spinach

bossmodehan

Here is one of my favorite quinoa recipes:


Quinoa Casserole

1 1/2 C uncooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
3c chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 sliced almonds
1/3c dried cranberries

Rinse quinoa, dump everything in slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on low or 2-4 on high. (I did 2 on high and it came out great.)

When the quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork, then stir in:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup crumbled feta
handful of baby spinach

sounds amazing! how many does this serve?

djthom

I recently tried red quinoa for the first time. I mixed it with a spoonful of honey & cinnamon, like someone on here suggested. It was fantastic!

lizzyb0601

I recently tried it as well and really enjoyed it. I found a recipe for a quinoa salad toss. Yummy!