Quinoa

werobins
werobins Posts: 25 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
Who eats this stuff? I am a pretty healthy eater but I want to add this to the mix. Can I use it in place of rice? Pass on some good recipes???
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Replies

  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
    i tried it and didn't like it. i actually made it a couple of times different ways. not for me. i can't give-up rice, esp. not for quinoa...
  • Cheeseburger85
    Cheeseburger85 Posts: 63 Member
    My wife made a cold "salad" that was really good. Quinoa, cucumber, tomato, mint leaves, goat cheese and cubed chicken breast with a balsamic drizzle.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Look at it as couscous as a whole grain. About the same prep, about the same grain size. Use any recipe that calls for couscous. Also fun, red Quinoa.

    Hubby thinks couscous is of the debbil and he casts the same jaded eye at the Quinoa. So when I make it, it's for me.
  • yolo9752
    yolo9752 Posts: 69 Member
    Amazing in salad for sure-cilantro, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell pepers, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Mistraal1981
    Mistraal1981 Posts: 453 Member
    I find it quite bland and inoffensive. It basically just adds bulk to a meal. When I do eat it, I normally have it with gravy.
  • tnwlkr43
    tnwlkr43 Posts: 57 Member
    cooked in soup or something not to bad....but it definitely needs flavor. I made some last night boiled it in veggie broth, not to bad but the dog is finishing it up tonight..lol
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I eat it...not in place of anything, but just because I like it. In the summer my wife and I make various cold salads with it. We also just cook it in some chicken broth as a side dish on occasion.

    Incidentally, my wife and I became big fans of quinoa before quinoa was cool. We took a trip to Peru years ago and it's a staple food there...they eat it with everything it seems.
  • ibamosaserreinas
    ibamosaserreinas Posts: 294 Member
    I have completely replaced rice with quinoa. Specifically, I like to add 1/2 cup to things like chili.

    I also like to keep some cooked in the fridge to throw on top of a salad, or grab in pinch with some meat.
  • SSC1958
    SSC1958 Posts: 411 Member
    I tried it last week for the first time and loved it. Here the link to the recipe I tried allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemony-Quinoa/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=lemony%20quinoa&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=%2fmenus%2fmain.aspx&soid=sr_results_p1i1 By the way kraftcanada.com recommends that you wash it under running water to remove the bitterness first.
  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    It can be eaten in place of oatmeal, I toast it first (before cooking, brings the nuttiness out, otherwise it is quite plain) then add stevia and some maple syrup (not much) cinnamon etc. Quinoa is a VERY nutritous food. Toasting it for 10 min on a sheet pan is a huge compliment to the grain (I was told to toast it by a professional chef) and boy was he correct!
  • werobins
    werobins Posts: 25 Member
    thanks so much for all the comments. I bought two bags so I am gonna be giving it a test run. I fear no food so it will all get eaten. Thanks again and best of luck to everyone!!!!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    I love it, but I've spent a good chunk of my life living in the Andes where it is a part of the food culture. Make sure to RINSE it before you cook it, or the end result will be unappealing. Pinterest is a good place to look for instructions and recipes.

    Be careful about portion size, as it does have a hefty number of calories and carbs.

    I like it in soups, especially chicken soup. As mentioned above, it can be used in place of rice, cous-cous, etc.
  • spamarie
    spamarie Posts: 2,825 Member
    I use it in place of rice in cold salads (about the only time I ever ate rice before).

    I mix it with tinned tuna, a little olive oil and red wine vinegar and whatever veg you like (I use corn and peas). Makes a really filling packed lunch for work. Sometimes I use fresh anchovies instead of tuna. I cook two portions at a time as I find it keeps just fine in the fridge for a day or two.

    I use 40g dry uncooked weight which is about 150 calories and bulks up into a decent portion. I think it's been said, but be sure to rinse it a few times before you cook it!
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    edited February 2015
    tnwlkr43 wrote: »
    cooked in soup or something not to bad....but it definitely needs flavor. I made some last night boiled it in veggie broth, not to bad but the dog is finishing it up tonight..lol

    Let us know if the dog loses weight
  • angielisa75
    angielisa75 Posts: 46 Member
    I mix it in with vegetables with some franks hot sauce or soya sauce. I also use instead of oatmeal, potatoes and when making a stir fry I make with quinoa instead of rice.
    NEVER EAT QUINOA BY ITSELF. You need to add something to it like a sweet sauce, hot sauce or soya sauce or anything you want, experiment.
  • stay_co
    stay_co Posts: 10 Member
    This is my FAVORITE go-to salad for cookouts. It is great as a stand alone side, but several friends like to scoop it up with tortilla chips. It's very easy and keeps for a few days in the fridge.
    http://www.eating-for-england.com/quinoa-salad-beans-avocado/
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Look at it as couscous as a whole grain. About the same prep, about the same grain size. Use any recipe that calls for couscous. Also fun, red Quinoa.

    Hubby thinks couscous is of the debbil and he casts the same jaded eye at the Quinoa. So when I make it, it's for me.
    Just tell your husband couscous is a pasta, because it is and not a whole grain.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    Weight watchers has a recipe for a turkey meatloaf that uses it instead of breadcrumbs. Flavored
    With chili sauce and sage it's pretty good. At least my family likes it. I agree don't eat it alone, add flavor. I use stock to cook it for savory dishes.
  • walleyeten
    walleyeten Posts: 31 Member
    Bob Harper's Recipe: Yogurt with Tropical Fruit


    INGREDIENTS
    1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
    1 cup diced tropical fruit mixture
    1½ tablespoons ground flaxseed
    DIRECTIONS
    Place the yogurt in a bowl, top with the fruit, and sprinkle with the flaxseed.

    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING
    264 calories, 20g protein, 27g carbs, 3g fat, 3g fiber

    with 1/4 cup Quinoa total is:

    434 calories, 27g protein, 57g carbs, 6g fat, 6g fiber

    with the quinoa, there is a slight hint of a nuttier crunch, the red quinoa at least has a taste compared to the white. I bought some black quinoa but have not tried it yet.

    oh, I do use it in place of rice in a turkey meatloaf. :D
  • cocobongo
    cocobongo Posts: 186 Member
    Type in Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Kale fritters or patties on Pinterest. Whole family loves them and good the next day. Played around with the recipie a bit in subsequent attempts. Carrots make a good edition as do onions. With onions they taste almost like the shop bought onion bahjhis. Great the next day too, hot or cold. We eat hot with an evening meal then I sometimes take left overs to work and eat with a salad for lunch.
  • Ginaaa71
    Ginaaa71 Posts: 61 Member
    I tried it, liked it. But I rinsed well, toasted then simmered with chicken broth and lots of veggies and just a bit of low sodium soy sauce. It's very filling so calories not worrisome. I little is all it takes to make a meal
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    The biggest problem I've seen with friends trying it and not liking it....is they didn't rinse it.

    I rinse even the brands that claim it's been rinsed. Quinoa has a naturally occurring substance covering it that is bitter and rinsing is needed.

    After that, I mostly cook it like rice, but it does needs some flavor added to it. Whether eaten warm or cold, I like it with a little vinegar of some type along with other seasonings (depending on what the meal is) and some olive oil.
  • tnwlkr43
    tnwlkr43 Posts: 57 Member
    edited February 2015
    sheldonklein wrote: »
    tnwlkr43 wrote: »
    cooked in soup or something not to bad....but it definitely needs flavor. I made some last night boiled it in veggie broth, not to bad but the dog is finishing it up tonight..lol

    Let us know if the dog loses weight


    I dont think she will, she didnt eat it....lmbo She ate everything around it and left that in her bowl. That tells us something~

    ETA, I do rinse mine when I cook it..the first time I didnt the second time I saw on the package to rinse.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Smells disgusting. Stick to Ready Brek instead....
  • sandeeking
    sandeeking Posts: 4
    I absolutely love it...I use it instead of rice and pasta..I also use it as a salad base sometimes..instead of lettuce I will use quinoa and add all my salad toppings on that :)
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    My wife introduced me to Quinoa salad about a month ago and now I can't get enough of it.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
    edited February 2015
    I recently discovered this. FYI it is pronounced "keen-wa" just a public service announcement so you don't end up looking like a fool pronouncing it the way that it looks at the store while trying to find it. LOL! (I did this) Anyhow, I made turkey meatballs and substituted the breadcrumbs with quinoa and it was delicious!
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    Keep in mind that it's not really a low calorie alternative to other grains. About the same as brown rice. But definitely has more vitamins & minerals by comparison.

    I actually really like it. But make sure you rinse it. I cook mine with broth, because I agree it's rather mild. We primarily use it in place of rice as a side dish. But you can use it in place of breadcrumbs in things like meatballs and crab cakes, etc.
  • kruuTahn
    kruuTahn Posts: 55 Member
    I was suspicious of this stuff for a long time, but I finally tried it and it's pretty great. It's like couscous with a nuttier flavor. We have it most often as a cold "salad" with lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, chopped pistachios, and crumbled feta. Pretty baller.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    I have read more than once that it's important to prepare Quinoa properly or it will be less than appealing.

    I like it in a cold salad, and I like it as a more nutritious substitute for rice for some things. I am not going to go crazy over it, for sure...but I do like to have it occasionally.
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