Quinoa - anyone tried it?

If I want rice I'll just have rice. I'd say I'd use quinoa in more of a couscous sort of way. I've had it a few times, it's just another grain really, more to do with what you add to it. I do know some people who don't like the texture.

Quinoa is delicious! Just rinse it really well before cooking it, it has a natural coating called saponin on the hulls that taste like soap of you don't wash it off. Prepare it the same way you prepare rice. You know it's done when the kernels turn translucent and the germ starts to curl off.

I cook it with chicken stock and use it as a substitute for any grain. It doesn't have a strong taste on its own, just a mild, nutty flavor. You can even prepare it as a sweet dish, like the same way you'd eat oatmeal, with brown sugar and fresh fruit!

Quinoa is delicious! However, as pointed out above it is a grain so contains carbohydrates. It does have more protein than the average white rice. I use it in all sorts of things, but my favorite is quinoa tabouli salad. Just substitute the quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. It's also gluten-free.

I always rinse it in a mesh strainer before cooking. It has a bitter coating that some people don't care for.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/09/one-pan-mexican-quinoa/

SUCH a good and easy quinoa recipe (i substitute the cumin for Cajun spice because i don't like cumin). Yes it's carbs but when it's diluted with tons of veggies you're barely eating any quinoa. I make the above recipe but double the beans and peppers and then add a bunch of shredded chicken to it. Makes 8 meal prep containers at around 350 calories for a really filing meal ☺

I love quinoa and farro.

I eat 1 cup of quinoa every day as part of my lunch.

Trader Joes sells frozen quinoa that you can heat up. Hyvee sells ready to eat quinoa.

Quinoa is sometimes called a super food. It has been known to reduce migraine headaches.

nickiphillips1 wrote: »

I eat 1 cup of quinoa every day as part of my lunch.

Trader Joes sells frozen quinoa that you can heat up. Hyvee sells ready to eat quinoa.

Quinoa is sometimes called a super food. It has been known to reduce migraine headaches.

I wish that were true. I eat a fair amount of quinoa and still have migraines.

Everything I might have has been said by others. It's a fine grain. You can get white, red and black quinoa. Three cheers for variety!

Although quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is often referred to as a grain, it is NOT a grain, but actually a SEED, and a member of the swiss chard family. I am allergic to many foods and eat it almost every day, usually for breakfast. I like the RED quinoa (Ancient Harvest) the best; 1/3 cup (dry) cooked (boiled) on the stovetop for about 15 minutes. I add Kerrygold (grass fed) butter, Himalayan salt, and cinnamon. If you cook it longer, it can get a little mushy and your body will process the carbs faster, meaning a quicker/higher blood sugar response, than if you undercook it and have it a little more "seedy" than mushy. I also use the red quinoa (just plain) as a rice substitute whenever needed.

I will sometimes have quinoa FLAKES (white), which cooks up more like a hot cereal similar to oatmeal, for breakfast. When using the flakes, I prepare it with a tablespoon of coconut oil, some coconut flakes, and chopped macadamia nuts. It is really good this way, but the flakes are more expensive.

I have found the price of quinoa varies greatly; the best price for red quinoa is about $4 at Walmart, and the flakes tend to be ridiculously priced at about $7+ a box at Publix when I can find it. Ancient Harvest brand of quinoa does not have to be rinsed as someone stated above because the saponins have already been removed; saponins are NOT good for your gut, so be sure to rinse, if the directions suggest it. Quinoa is an excellent source of fiber!

Quinoa has more protein than rice, but as pointed out above, it's still majority carb. One of the main benefits of quinoa is that it's a complete protein - it contains a full spectrum of amino acids.

My experience has been is that it's not great as a standalone food, but good when mixed in with beans, meat, vegetables, etc.

Also, it's orders of magnitude more expensive than rice. The only way I can afford to buy it is in bulk at Costco.

I make a sloppy one pot vege sausage casserole and add rinsed Quinoa it absorbs the liquid and tastes great.

I like quinoa as well, but I also love whole grain brown rice. Similar macros. I agree with some above, quinoa is really good cold to me, I prefer rice in hot dishes.

Been eating quinoa for a good decade now. Love it, far superior to rice in all ways for me. Haven't eaten rice at all since I discovered quinoa.

Its really good I buy it already prepared from the Central Market here in town sometimes. I don't know how to prepare it, but they make it in the food court and it is awesome.