Have you tried quinoa or orzo?

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Kcham817
Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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..

Replies

  • emchamberlain
    emchamberlain Posts: 133 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    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
    sdgirl22 Posts: 225 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    Thanks for the description. This may be a silly question: do you prepare the quinoa just as you would rice?
  • kezereth
    kezereth Posts: 41
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    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
    jessieinblue Posts: 287 Member
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    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
    jemmur Posts: 57 Member
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    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
    Chefeiram Posts: 5 Member
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    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
    kelfelbel Posts: 8
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    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
    tameekag Posts: 84 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    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
    nyctraveler Posts: 305 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    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
    Kcham817 Posts: 106 Member
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    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
    emchamberlain Posts: 133 Member
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    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
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    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
    djthom Posts: 651 Member
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    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
    lizzyb0601 Posts: 160 Member
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    I recently tried it as well and really enjoyed it. I found a recipe for a quinoa salad toss. Yummy!

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